I Walk Beside You
by MakoHeadrush
Summary: This is a sequel to "Until the End." Reno and Cloud are settling into married life, when Reno's past comes back to haunt him. As Reno deals with repercussions and fallout from that, an alien life form invades the planet, endangering Cloud.
1. Here's To The Past

**Summary: This is a sequel to "Until the End." I am writing this for NaNoWriMo 2011. :)**

**In the current story, Reno and Cloud are settling into married life, but it will be anything but a quiet or normal life when Reno's past comes back to haunt him. While Reno deals with the repercussions of his past, an alien life form invades the Planet, and threatens the human race itself. When Cloud ends up in danger, Reno calls on for help from unlikely sources, and moves heaven and earth to save his love.**

**Rated M for language, Reno, and eventual smexy lemons.**

**Usual Disclaimer: I own nothing, Square Enix owns FF7. Any song lyrics quoted within are attributed to the artist. This fic is written for fun, not profit.**

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><p><em>There's a story in your eyes<em>  
><em>I can see the hurt behind your smile<em>  
><em>For every sign I recognize<em>  
><em>Another one escapes me<em>

_Let me know what plagues your mind_  
><em>Let me be the one knows you best<em>  
><em>Be the one to hold you up<em>  
><em>When you feel like you're sinking<em>

_Tell me once again_  
><em>What's beneath the pain you're feeling<em>  
><em>Don't abandon me<em>  
><em>Or think you can't be saved<em>

_I walk beside you_  
><em>Wherever you are<em>  
><em>Whatever it takes<em>  
><em>No matter how far<em>

_Through all that may come_  
><em>And all that may go<em>  
><em>I walk beside you<em>  
><em>I walk beside you<em>

**"I Walk Beside You" - Dream Theater**

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><p><em>They said it would never work<em>, Reno thought, smirking. _Well….'they' were dead fucking wrong_. The Turk who dropped the plate on Sector seven, and the ex-mercenary-who-thought-he-was-a-SOLDIER – who, oh, by the way, ended up saving the Planet multiple times – well, there were some idle tongues and gossips who insisted their union wouldn't last.

_Not only did it last_, Reno mused, _it fucking_ **_prospered_**. Six months into their marriage, and Reno was still head over heels, insanely in love with Cloud. And he was pretty damned sure Cloud felt the same way. Hell, he _knew_ Cloud felt the same way, there was no two ways about it. Reno sighed a bit too happily, murmuring to himself as he brought the chopper back down to the helipad, expertly landing it.

He and Rude were returning from their mission. The day's work has resulted in success for the two Turks; the suspects that Tseng had ordered them to find had been quickly located, detained, and between Reno and Rude, the two worked in their usual seamless symphony in getting the detainees to crack, and give up some needed intel.

Rude turned his head to regard Reno, certain he'd heard the redhead mutter something. "…Excuse me?" he said quietly to Reno. "You say something?"

"Nothing important, partner," Reno murmured, as he cut the engine. "Nah, I was just thinking…about Cloud." He punctuated the statement with another dreamy sigh.

"Reno? When are you going to stop acting like a swooning, lovesick teenager?" Rude said dryly, shutting off his headset and removing it. "It's getting annoying," he cracked. Rude was feeling good, with a sense of accomplishment over the day's work, but still – Reno needed to can it, in his opinion. He cast Reno a somewhat irritated, sideways glance. Really, it was getting a bit old, Rude felt - Reno's glowing adoration of _Cloud_. It was understandable, given that Reno and Cloud were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, but - the man just wouldn't shut the fuck up about Cloud _this_, and Cloud _that_, and it was getting on Rude's last working nerve.

"You know, Reno," Rude continued, giving Reno a pointed glare. "I get that you're happy. And I'm _happy_ that you're happy. But for the love of Minerva, do you have to talk about it twenty-four/seven?"

"Hmpf," Reno snorted. He cast a somewhat cool glance at Rude. "Well, partner. I'm sorry…I didn't realize my happiness was boring you. You know, every time you bring up your happy little family with Tits McGee – "

"Asshole," Rude barked, reaching out and smacking the headset clear off of Reno's head, before he'd even had a chance to shut it off. "You do not call Tifa that. _Ever_." Rude was furious. He knew all too well that Reno's glib remarks were just that – no real harm intended behind the cutting words, but all the same, the man _should_ have known better than to go there. No, Rude and Tifa weren't married yet, but they'd had a child together, their baby girl Ari. Rude loved Reno like a brother, but there were times when the redhead was just so damned thoughtless, that the more silent and more tactful Turk would like to drop-kick his scrawny ass into next week.

"Ow!" Reno yelped, rubbing his head where Rude's hand had connected. "Fucking hell, Rude!" Reno knew he'd crossed a line; he'd done it often, and he really did feel bad anytime he went too far, and hurt someone, as he'd just done with Rude. The thing was, Reno just couldn't stop himself or his mouth sometimes. It was time to at least try and bury the hatchet…and admit to Rude that he was wrong. _Again_.

"I'm sorry, man," Reno said quietly, just as Rude was about to exit the chopper. The bald Turk merely grunted in acknowledgement, and looked away from Reno, slamming the door as he got out. He was still pissed at his tactless partner, and was not about to let Reno get off easily this time.

"Fucking had it with you," Rude snapped. "And your lack of common courtesy. You know, I don't bring up my 'happy little family', as you called it, nearly as much as I have to hear how fucking awesome Cloud is. And don't get me wrong, Reno - I am happy for you. I wouldn't have been your best fucking man if I wasn't. Just...enough already."

Reno blanched at Rude's unusually eloquent outburst - the man usually used as few words as possible, so whenever he went on for a spell, Reno knew the man had to be beyond pissed off. He sighed wearily, slamming the door of the chopper Had he really had his head so far up his own ass, still basking in the newlywed phase, that he'd grown even _more_ clueless and insensitive? The redhead had to be honest with himself – he supposed he had.

"Dude, look…I'm sorry," Reno said sincerely, running his hand through his spiked red bangs. "I know, it ain't enough, and I've been a first class asshole lately. I guess I'm still in the honeymoon phase or whatever – and I know, that's a shit excuse for how I've been acting, but I'm sorry. I really am, yo."

Rude raised an eyebrow and grunted. "Don't do it again," he admonished. "Or I'll lay you flat next time, got it?"

Reno grinned. He was forgiven – for now, it seemed. "I got it, partner," he said softly. "It won't happen again." Reno coughed into his hand, suddenly embarrassed, and went through the pretense of fumbling for his pack of cigarettes, even though he didn't really feel like having one.

"So, ah, Rude," Reno began, a bit self-consciously. "Good job today, man. I'll uh…turn in our reports for us, okay?" he said, giving Rude a plaintive look. Rude smirked at this; Reno must really be sorry, that he was offering to do the hated paperwork for Tseng.

"Thanks, Reno," Rude replied, smiling slightly. He reached into his jacket pocket, and took out a folded piece of paper, handing it to Reno. "My notes," he explained, as Reno took the paper.

"Gotcha," Reno muttered, folding the piece of paper and shoving it into his pocket. "And hey man, I'm really sorry. You know, me and my big fucking mouth…"

"Yeah. I know," Rude said, chuckling. "_Believe_ me Reno, I know. " They'd descended the stairwell from the roof, heading toward the Turks' offices. It was likely that Tseng was still there, awaiting their return from the mission; Rude planned on checking in with his superior, and heading on home to Tifa and the baby, while Reno would apparently be working a bit of overtime to get the paperwork done.

"Yo, bossman," Reno greeted the Turk Commander upon entering the office. The salutation was met with a withering glare and an eyeroll from Tseng.

"Reno, Rude," Tseng said crisply, addressing the two Turks. "How did you fare with the mission?"

"Went smooth and by the numbers, yo," Reno said easily, taking a seat behind his desk. "Listen, Rude needs to take off...seeing as he's got another mouth to feed. Don't want him skipping out on diaper duty, or Tifa will be pissed," he cracked, grinning at Rude. "I'm taking care of our reports."

"That won't be necessary, Reno," Tseng said quietly. His expression was odd, Reno noted. Something was _up_, and the realization of that set Reno on edge.

"Rude, you're dismissed," Tseng told him. "Go on home to Tifa and the baby. I have something to discuss with Reno here," he continued, nodding toward the redheaded Turk. Reno's eyes shot open with a look of surprise - not only was Tseng apparently taking over Reno's most despised duty for him - paperwork - now there was something that the Turk commander had to 'discuss' with Reno? Something was _definitely_ up, and Reno didn't like the uneasy feeling he was getting. Yet, Tseng's face remained impassive; whatever it was, he wasn't going to reveal in front of Rude, which also troubled Reno.

Rude nodded at Tseng, grateful for the early dismissal. His daughter Ari was now entering the teething phased of babyhood, and sleep had now become a lost commodity for both himself and Tifa. "Thank you, sir," Rude said to Tseng. "Reno...see you tomorrow." He frowned, not liking the fact that Tseng wanted to discuss something with his partner, and clearly wanted to wait until Rude left. He'd be certain to ask Reno what went down the next time he saw him, however. Reno nodded at Rude, lifting his hand in a brief parting wave.

"Reno," Tseng said quietly and firmly, his unflinching gaze meeting Reno's. "Please, step into my office." He waved his hand, indicating for Reno to follow him.

"What...what's going on, sir?" Reno asked nervously. "Am I..are you going to fire me, or something? Look, I know I've been slackin' with filing my reports, and I totally was about to do those from today - "

Tseng looked at Reno, surprised, then chuckled. "No, Reno. I'm not firing you," he assured him, amused. Tseng had one hand on the doorknob, ready to open the door to his private office.

As the door slowly opened, Tseng whispered softly to Reno. "I don't even know how to prepare you for this, or how to tell you...Someone came here, looking for 'Reno of the Turks.' And her story...seems to check out. Here she is."

"Who is it?" Reno hissed, entering the room. He was suddenly on high alert, feeling suspicious. "Someone came here looking for _me_?" Reno stepped into Tseng's large office, and looked toward the Turk Commander's desk. There were two oversized leather chairs placed in front of it. He could barely see who was occupying one of those chair, but it appeared to Reno that a small, feminine figure was seated in one of the chairs.

"Tirsa?" Tseng called softly. As the chair turned around slowly, Reno stood there shellshocked; staring back at him was a young girl of perhaps twelve years of age, with long, wavy auburn hair; a darker shade than Reno's vibrant red, but very similar. Her eyes were of the palest spring green - aside from the hue, the eyes were identical to Reno's. The Turk couldn't hold back a gasp, as he looked into eyes that mirrored his own. A thrill of recognition ran through Reno as he struggled to remember a name from his past, buried somewhere in his mind, but it was in there somewhere, he just knew it was nearly on the tip of his brain...

"Oh my gods," Reno exclaimed, stepping forward slowly toward the young girl, who by now was scowling at Reno. "Are you...Dayanara's?" he asked hesitantly.

The girl sneered at Reno, and snorted derisively. "Dayanara's dead," she said matter-of-factly. "But, yes...I'm her daughter. And _yours_, apparently."

"You're...my...what?" Reno stammered, incredulous. "But I didn't even...I mean, I..." His voice trailed off as he struggled to formulate a coherent thought. Reno was one who was rarely, if ever, taken by surprise. He usually was the one to have a leg up on everyone else, not the other way around. _Holy fuck_, he thought, running his hand through his hair, and swallowing nervously. _How...am I gonna tell Cloud? Wait, what the hell am I supposed to do...bring her home with me? She came here seeking me out for a reason...gotta find out why, now. And Dayanara...gods, what happened to her?_

"So," Reno continued, rubbing his eyes. "You're...my daughter?" he said, still in disbelief.

"Did I fucking stutter?" Tirsa snapped, frowning at Reno. _Gods, the **mouth** on her!_ Reno thought, trying to hide a grin. _Yeah, she's mine all right._

"Yes, I'm your daughter, moron. Oh, _forget_ this," Tirsa said, quickly standing up and heading toward the door. "Knew this would be a big mistake, coming here."

"Hold on a minute, yo," Reno said firmly, blocking Tirsa's path as she tried to leave. "Tseng here says _you_ came here looking for _me_. So what gives? Why leave now? I suggest we sit down and, uh...introduce ourselves to each other."

Tirsa eyed Reno with some amusement, particularly as her eye was drawn to his vibrant red ponytailed hair. "You know, you don't look like what I picture, when I think of a Turk."

Reno frowned at this, and narrowed his eyes into slits as he stared down his smart-assed daughter. "Well, what _do_ you picture, then?" he demanded.

"Him," Tirsa replied coolly, pointing at Tseng, who bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Nice," Reno replied sarcastically, still unable to break his gaze from Tirsa's face. "I guess...there's no denying you're mine. You look just like me."

"I get the green eyes from my mother," Tirsa said quietly. She took a seat once again, and Reno sat down next to her.

"Reno..." Tseng said quietly. "I'll leave you two alone for a bit. But just so you know...Tirsa's story checks out. And we took the liberty of taking a blood sample from her, to see if it matched your DNA...and it does."

Reno bristled slightly. Okay, so he had a daughter, and now Tseng was running fucking tests on her, without his permission? "Hold on, Tseng," Reno said, anger creeping into his voice. "You're already sticking needles into my kid, without _my_ permission? What the fuck?"

"Relax, _dad_," Tirsa said theatrically. She grinned, holding up an index finger with a small piece of gauze covering the tip. "Just a pinprick. I had to pee in a cup, too."

"All right, now wait just a gods-damned minute," Reno said irritably. "Tseng? Please tell me what the hell that was for."

"Reno, no harm was meant toward Tirsa," Tseng said, trying to reassure the irate Turk. "She had a full medical workup while we verified her story. She's been suffering from malnutrition...as she's been living on the streets since her mother died."

"Oh," Reno replied dumbly, feeling something catch in his throat. "I'm...I'm so sorry, Tirsa. I really am. I had no idea, that...well, that you existed, in the first place."

"Why did you leave my mother?" Tirsa demanded, her bottom lip trembling ever so slightly as she fought back a tear. "Why...why would you do that? Get her pregnant and just leave?"

"I - I swear to you, I didn't know - " Reno began, then paused, looking helplessly at Tseng. "Can...we have some time alone here, sir?" he asked quietly. "Please."

"Of course," Tseng replied, already heading toward the door. "You may want to call Cloud, you know," he reminded Reno. "Tell him you're going to be a bit late."

"Yeah," Reno said, licking his lips nervously. "Guess there's a few things I have to tell him."

"Who's Cloud?" Tirsa demanded, after Tseng left the room.

"He's...my husband," Reno replied hastily, quickly reaching for his cell phone. "I'm just gonna call him really quick, okay?" Without waiting for a reply, Reno dialed the number, waiting to hear Cloud pick up.

"Hi, Reno," Cloud said, the moment he answered. "Hey, I was thinking we could just grab a pizza tonight - "

"That's fine, yo," Reno interrupted, cutting him off. "Listen - I'm going to be a little late. And maybe get two pizzas. We might have company."

"Okay, I will," Cloud replied, sounding confused. "Reno? You sound weird. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Reno lied. "Oh hell, you'll...find out soon enough," he said cryptically. "Bye." He hung up the phone quickly, knowing Cloud was going to be more than pissed about the mysterious nature of his call, not to mention, Reno hanging up on him.

"I'd like you to meet him, Tirsa," Reno said gently. "If you want to, that is."

Tirsa glared at Reno suspiciously. Thus far, her street-honed instincts weren't telling her to _run_. She'd heard enough about the Turks to know they were loyal to their own; she wondered too, if this carried over to family members. Still, having been homeless for so long, the thought of a warm place, and a hot meal were proving to be a huge temptation for the young girl.

"Okay, I'll go for a little while," Tirsa said reluctantly, as they both stood . "I don't think I'll stay for very long, though."

"What do you mean, you don't think you'll stay?" Reno demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Where will you go?"

"Don't know," Tirsa said, shrugging her shoulders. "What does it matter to you, anyway?" The statement hit Reno in the heart like a thunderbolt, bringing him back to when he was a teen living on the streets, in the bowels of the slums of Midgar.

"It matters to me," Reno said firmly, "because I grew up on the streets too - as did your mom - and I don't want that for my daughter. You're staying with me. And don't argue with me," he said in warning, before Tirsa could even open her mouth.

"Fine," Tirsa said sullenly, as Reno ushered her out of the Turks' office. While she really was grateful for the offer of a place to stay, and hot food, the girl was already mentally calculating what Reno's weekly paycheck might be, based on his dress and appearance. She wondered if Reno, or even his husband, this Cloud guy, would have anything at their place worth stealing, that she could sell on the street for a few quick gil.


	2. She's a Runner

"Tseng," Reno called to his superior, who was still seated at his desk, poring over some documents. "I'm going to head home...get my kid something to eat. See you in the morning." _My_ _kid_, Reno thought, bemused and shocked at how odd that sounded. _I...have a fucking **kid**. Guess now I know what Aerith was talking about, back when I was in the Lifestream._

_"_See you tomorrow, Reno," Tseng replied. "If you need anything..."

"I know where to find you," Reno supplied, grinning. "Thanks." Suddenly, Reno felt awkward - it was just he and Tirsa standing out in the corridor, and the girl looked up at him expectantly, chin jutting up defiantly. She said not a word, but her expression seemed to say, _just try me_.

"Guess...I'll drive us home, now," Reno said dumbly, pointing toward the elevator. "Uh...parking garage is in the basement level."

"What do you drive?" Tirsa asked, hoisting her backpack over her shoulder. The question sounded innocent enough, but the girl was wily enough to realize that if her father drove a really nice car...that might translate into him having a large bank account. Or, better yet, a large amount of valuables lying around his house, that she could hopefully pilfer without Reno even noticing. Tirsa was a pickpocket; this skill had been honed out of necessity, in order to survive on the streets, and it turned out that the girl was really _good_ at it.

Reno glanced curiously at the girl, wondering what prompted her question. _She was about to be disappointed_, the Turk thought with a grin. "What do I drive," he repeated, leading Tirsa onto the elevator. "Well, nothing fancy. It's an old beater, but it was kind of nice in its prime. I drive an old Shinra Motors hardtop Falcon. It's a 5.0," Reno went on, nervously filling the awkward silent spots with chatter, "chrome rims, convertible...but, it's old. It's a classic car, yeah, but it's kind of shitty." Reno flinched slightly, and thought, _I really should watch my mouth...oh, hell with it, kid already dropped an F-bomb moments after I met her._

"A Falcon?" Tirsa repeated, not appearing terribly impressed. "Those are kind of cool, I guess. Can I drive it?"

"What?" Reno retorted, taken aback. "You...no, you can't drive! I mean...you're not old enough, I'm sure...how old _are_ you, anyway?"

"I'm _twelve_," Tirsa replied, as the elevator dinged, indicating they'd reached the basement level. "And I _do _know how to drive, you know," she bragged, glancing up to see if Reno would react to this.

"Twelve," Reno repeated softly. They'd reached his car, which was badly in need of a wash; Reno unlocked the passenger side door, and opened it for his daughter who got in. The Turk slid into the driver's seat, and started the ignition. "You're twelve," he said, doing some mental calculations. "That means...you were born...when I was..."

_Fifteen. I got someone pregnant when I was fucking fifteen years old...and I never even knew. I never saw her again, after that one time_, Reno thought ruefully. _Shit. I am an **asshole**!_

"Even though I wasn't there...I guess I was pretty young when you were born," Reno told Tirsa, backing the car out of its spot. "And your mom...gods, Tirsa, I'm so sorry. When did she die?" he asked quietly. Reno shifted the car into first gear, and peeled out of the garage. He was feeling oddly protective over this child he barely knew; how much he had missed, already. There would be no way to make it up to her, Reno knew that. There was no way to make up for lost time. He hoped that Tirsa would be receptive to getting to know him, and at her own speed and comfort level. Forging a father/daughter relationship out of nothing was _not_ going to be easy.

"She died a couple of years ago," Tirsa said quietly, distractedly twirling the ends of her hair around her finger. She'd gathered her feet up underneath her, tucking them as she sat upon them; it made her appear even more child-like to Reno.

"A couple of years ago?" Reno echoed, horrified. _My daughter's been living on the streets by herself since she was **ten**? Gods. Just...just like me. Fuck. No, I'm not letting her go back out there. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm not letting her live on the streets. Never again. _

"Tirsa, how did you know where to find me? How did you know to go to the Shinra building...and that I was a Turk?" It was a fair question; such information was generally not highly publicized, not the way Shinra's SOLDIERS were known throughout Midgar.

"Mom told me," Tirsa said dully. "Look, do we have to talk about this right now? I don't want to talk about my mom."

"But I..." Reno began, then paused. _But I have questions,_ he thought. _A lot of them. Like...how did Dayanara die? Why didn't she tell me she was pregnant, I would have supported her...I don't even know how I would have done that, living on the street, but I damned well would have tried. _

"It's fine," Reno said, deciding not to press things further. "We'll...talk about that later. I do have some questions about your mom, but I don't want to upset you. I'm glad you decided to look for me, though."

"You are?" Tirsa blurted, clearly surprised. She laughed sardonically. "Yeah, right. I'm sure the last thing you wanted, is some random kid showing up on your steps." She stared at Reno while he drove, his eyes mostly on the road, though he kept stealing glances at Tirsa, almost as if he was making certain she was still real. Tirsa still wasn't sure what to make of her newfound father. Her mother, Dayanara, had told her very little about Reno, until it was almost too late, and she revealed the secret of Tirsa's parentage as she lay dying. Tirsa shivered, recalling the sound of her mother taking her very last breath. "Nothing like a big surprise," she murmured, staring out the window.

"It _is_ quite a surprise," Reno admitted, glancing sideways at Tirsa. Her body language was tense; her arms were folded across her chest, and her lips were pursed in a pout that might even be comical looking in any other situation but this one. His daughter was hurting, and even though Reno barely knew the child, it pained him to think of what she'd been through - all alone - since her mother died.

"But don't worry, yo," Reno said, trying to sound reassuring. They'd just pulled up to the apartment building, and Reno parked the car, shutting off the ignition. "Look," he said seriously, trying to make eye contact with the sullen Tirsa. "I lived that life too, you know. A long time ago. I grew up on the streets...and the Turks took me in, made me one of their own. Probably right after I met your mom."

"Said I didn't want to talk about her!" Tirsa snapped, slamming the car door. Tears were running freely down her face. "You didn't even ask how she died! I knew it, knew it all along...you never cared about her. You never did."

Reno stared at Tirsa, incredulous. "Hey! Wait, uh..." he began awkwardly. "Tirsa, _please_. Now, look. Please, look at me," Reno pleaded, placing his hands on the exhausted girl's shoulders, forcing her chin up to look at him.

"I know you don't know me, and you have no reason to believe me...or trust me," Reno said softly. "But I am true to my word. I do not turn my back on my family, whether they are blood related, or the Turks, or Cloud...my family is all I have, and I would die for any one of them. Dayanara...gods, if I only knew. If only she had told me! I didn't know she was pregnant with you," Reno stammered, fighting back a tear. "I would have stood by her, Tirsa. I would have. I just...I never knew."

"She told me that, too," Tirsa replied, sighing through a weepy sob. "She told me...not to be mad at you. That it was her fault you didn't know about me. She wanted to tell you about me, but...I guess she found out somehow, that you joined the Turks." Tirsa pulled the thin, worn zip-up hoodie about her shoulders, and shivered. "Can't we talk about this inside? It's getting cold."

"Of course," Reno said, ushering her up the stairs, his heart pounding; now was the moment of truth, he had to introduce his daughter to Cloud. Reno tried to imagine what Cloud's reaction would be, and none of the scenarios he was coming up with were very favorable.

Reno reached the apartment door and opened it. "After you," he said, holding the door open for Tirsa. "Cloud!" he called loudly into the apartment. "Babe, there's someone here I want you to meet."

"I'm in the bathroom!" came a shouted reply from Cloud. "Be right there." The aroma of pepperoni and cheese wafted through the air, and hit Reno's and Tirsa's nostrils, causing them to salivate. Tirsa's stomach grumbled audibly and loudly, and Reno looked guiltily upon his newfound daughter. _Treated for malnutrition_, he thought, shaking his head. _That ain't good. I won't let what happened to me, happen to her. I swear to Gaia_, he silently and firmly vowed.

"Oh, good," Reno said, grinning at Tirsa, as he eyed the two large pizza boxes sitting on the kitchen countertop, steam wafting from both of them. "Pizza's here. I know you're hungry, so why don't you have a seat over here," he said, gesturing to the breakfast bar in the kitchen. "I'll get us some plates." Tirsa nodded tiredly, taking a seat at the barstool.

"Hey," Cloud called, entering the kitchen. He grinned at the sight of Reno, and quickly kissed him; then, suddenly noticed Tirsa sitting in their kitchen. "Who...is this?" he asked Reno quietly, a strange feeling hitting him in the gut. _She looks like Reno_, Cloud thought immediately. _The hair color and eye color is slightly different, but...she looks **exactly** like him._

"Uh, yeah," Reno said, scratching his head awkwardly. "I guess...some introductions are in order here," he muttered, his gaze meeting Cloud's. "Tirsa, this is Cloud. Cloud...this is Tirsa. _My daughter_."

"You - your _what_?" Cloud blurted, eyes wide with shock. "You...never told me you had a daughter, Reno," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. Cloud had had an odd feeling, the moment he'd laid eyes on the girl, that she was some sort of blood relation of Reno's, given the resemblance. But he'd expected Reno to say this was a niece, or a cousin, or...something other than his _daughter_.

"I never knew about Tirsa until half an hour ago," Reno said sadly, pulling out the barstool next to Tirsa. "Mind if I sit?" he asked the girl.

"Fine," she said, exhaustion clearly setting in as she rested her head upon folded arms. Reno exchanged a worried glance with Cloud. "She's been through a lot," Reno said softly. He felt an odd, unusual sense of protectiveness over this child he barely knew, and it tore at his heart constantly, to think of the hard life she'd led - and Tirsa hadn't even told Reno the full story, as yet.

"Let's...have some pizza then," Cloud said, feeling extremely awkward. _Instant family_, Cloud pondered, as he rummaged through the kitchen cabinets to get some dinner plates. _Gods, all these kids...first Marlene and Denzel, and now...now I guess I'm a stepfather? _He felt as if his head was spinning, and couldn't imagine how Reno must be feeling. Cloud believed Reno when he said he'd had no idea about Tirsa's existence until just now; the look of shock was still evident on the Turk's face.

Quietly, Cloud set a plate in front of Tirsa, and one for Reno, where they were seated at the breakfast bar, while Cloud put his own plate to the side, wanting to feed Tirsa first. The girl looked painfully thin to Cloud, and he suspected it had been a very long time since she'd last had a decent meal. "I'll grab some sodas for us," Reno offered, getting up and making his way over to the refrigerator, taking out several cans of pop. He returned with them, setting them on the counter, and took his seat next to Tirsa once again.

"Hey," Cloud said gently to Tirsa, trying to make eye contact with the girl, but she stubbornly refused to meet his gaze; though, part of that was due to sheer exhaustion. She was still sitting half-slumped over at the breakfast bar, looking as if she'd fall asleep at any moment. "You want pepperoni, or just cheese?" Cloud asked her.

"Pepperoni," Tirsa said quickly, her hunger pangs suddenly reminding her of how long it had been since she'd last eaten, bringing her out of her sleepy stupor. "Thanks," she said absently, as Cloud handed her a plate piled with two slices of pepperoni pizza, while Reno helped himself. Tirsa wolfed the first slice down immediately, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Reno and Cloud both exchanged a look as the girl tore into her pizza. Cloud's expression was concerned; he frowned as he bit into his own slice of pizza. He stood as he ate, leaning back against the kitchen counter, chewing slowly as he studied Reno's daughter.

_Reno's daughter_, Cloud repeated to himself, disbelieving. It still didn't seem real to Cloud, that Reno had a _child, _one that he himself didn't know about until just now. He felt a pang of sympathy for Tirsa; she was painfully thin, her cheeks a bit sunken in, dark circles under her eyes. _We have to take care of her_, Cloud vowed silently. It probably won't be easy...I remember when I found Denzel, he'd been through so much... His thoughts trailed off as he looked back up, and noticed Tirsa staring curiously at him.

"So," she said, glancing back and forth from Cloud, to Reno, and back again. "You guys are gay, then."

Reno laughed at her bluntness. "Well...yeah," he replied, grinning. "Though I don't like labels. That...doesn't bother you, does it? That I'm married to a guy?"

Tirsa shrugged her shoulders indifferently, as she drank the rest of her soda. "Why should it bother me?" she said, looking quizzically at Reno. "It's not like I'll be staying long."

Reno frowned at this, and turned to face his daughter, a serious expression on his face. "Tirsa," he said softly. "All you talk about is running off. What are you running from? I mean...you went to all the trouble of tracking me down. And I'm glad you did, don't get me wrong - but why do you want to just leave, now that you've found me? What do you want from me, Tirsa?"

"Money," Tirsa replied unapologetically, staring her father down unflinchingly. "Money...maybe a place to crash when it gets too cold to sleep outside. I can take care of myself...I've been doing it for a while, now. I don't...don't want Don Corneo to get to me. So I gotta keep running." Tirsa sniffled ever so slightly, but held on to her emotions; she refused to let herself break down in front of her father. There was a certain sort of awe and mystique she felt toward Reno, ever since learning that her father was a Turk. It would not do, she felt, to appear weak in front of him, if she wanted Reno to think she was self-sufficient; which, of course, Tirsa believed she was.

"Don Corneo?" Cloud blurted, frowning. "He's...dead."

"He has a son," Tirsa explained. "Also named Don...Don II, I guess."

"Damn it," Cloud muttered. "So what's his deal? Reno, do you and the Turks know anything about this?"

"A bit," Reno said, nodding slowly. A cold feeling was forming in the pit of his stomach; what in the hell did Corneo want with his daughter? Knowing what kind of man the Don had been, Reno had a pretty good idea why his son was after Tirsa, but didn't even want to think about it. _She's just a kid!_ he thought furiously, about ready to sputter, he was so angry.

"We've been following Corneo's son for a bit, there were rumors that he was trying to resurrect the business...carry on his father's sordid little empire," Reno said bitterly, the bile rising in his throat as he began to imagine Tirsa being forced into Corneo's servitude. "He's very elusive, though...we never could pin anything on him either, the guy is too damned slick."

"You need to tell me, Tirsa," Reno said, his voice growing hoarse. "What did Corneo want with you? Why are you running from him?"

"Why do you _think_ he wants me?" Tirsa snapped. A single tear she'd been desperately trying to hold back, finally fell. "He wants me to be one of his whores, just like my mother was."

Reno gasped audibly; there was no mistaking his surprise at that bit of news. "What!" he blurted. "Dayanara was...you mean to tell me...your mom worked for _Corneo_?" The bile was in Reno's throat by now, he forced it back down, willing himself not to vomit. _Dayanara...gods...what the hell happened to you?_

"She didn't _want_ to do it, you know," Tirsa said tearfully, sniffling. "She always said, someday we'd get away, after she'd saved up enough gil..."

"People usually don't choose that life because they want it," Cloud murmured sympathetically. "Tirsa...you need to stay with us. We'll protect you from Corneo's son."

Reno nodded in agreement, swallowing hard. "Yeah. He's right, you know," Reno said stubbornly. "That bastard ain't gonna touch my kid," he vowed. "Come on, Tirsa. I'll get the bed set up for you."

"I don't need it," Tirsa said stubbornly, sliding off the barstool, standing. "Just let me crash on your couch. I _am_ tired," she admitted, yawning, "but I don't need a bed."

"You're taking the bed, Tirsa," Reno retorted. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, steering her toward the second bedroom. "We have an extra one, come on. In here," he said, guiding her into the room. _Thank Gaia Cloud had the foresight to rent a two-bedroom,_ Reno thought suddenly and randomly. When he'd first moved in, Reno had given Cloud flack about there being more space in the apartment than they'd ever need; a complaint which was met with a smile and an indifferent shrug of the shoulders from Cloud.

_Guess I was wrong about that_, Reno thought, as he watched Tirsa plop herself on the bed. The girl was exhausted; she'd kicked off her shoes, and set her backpack, containing what little clothes she owned, and her handful of worldly possessions. Reno suddenly seemed to realize how threadbare Tirsa's clothing was. He certainly didn't have anything small enough she could borrow; Reno decided he would have to either take the girl shopping, or pick up a few things himself. Not that Reno knew anything in the slightest about picking out clothing for a young girl.

"Ah, do you..." Reno began nervously, staring at Tirsa, "do you...need pajamas or anything like that?"

"No," Tirsa replied, stretching out on the bed and yawning. "I usually just sleep in my regular clothes...because I'm usually sleeping outside, the more clothes I wear, the better." Reno flinched, as he did ever time he heard Tirsa mention her homelessness.

"Look," Reno said, half-sitting on the foot of the bed. "You don't have to go back out there, ever again. That was my life once too, you know," he said quietly. Reno glanced up to see Cloud standing quietly by the door. He nodded toward him, then went on. "I met your mom when I was livin' on the streets. Neither one of us had no home, no parents - nothing. At least you've got _me_ now, Tirsa...I know you don't know me, not yet, but I'll be damned if I let my daughter live that life too."

Tirsa snorted dersively, smirking. "You won't 'let' me? _You _can't tell me what to do. I'm just here because...I didn't know where else to go."

"I am gonna tell you what to do," Reno said firmly. "I'm your father, and I - "

"You?" Tirsa interrupted, laughing darkly. "You're a sperm donor. You're not a _real_ father."

"Well, why don't you give me a fucking chance, then!" Reno snapped, aqua eyes blazing with fury. "Give me a break, will ya? And give me a chance, damn it. I would have been there for you, if I knew about you! If you want to blame anyone," he retorted, "blame your mother, for keeping me a secret."

"Don't you dare," Tirsa snarled, kneeling up on the bed as she pointed a finger in Reno's face. "Don't talk to me about my mother. You knocked her up and left her. Why, Reno?" _I'm not calling you dad. Fuck that. You're not a father, you're just like the rest of them. _"So," Tirsa went on, sitting back on her haunches, a sick, twisted grin on her face. "Were you one of my mother's _customers_?"

Reno bit back an angry reply. _What the...the fucking **nerve** of this kid! Trying to see where she's coming from - hell, I've been where she's coming from, but she ain't making it easy. _

"Tirsa," Reno replied, as calmly as he could muster. "Listen. I was fifteen years old when I met your mom. _Fifteen_. I was a street kid just like her; we met, and we started to hang out. Watched each other's backs, that kind of thing. We leaned on each other; . One night, things just...went a little bit too far between."

"And_ I_ was the result," Tirsa supplied, her mouth twisting as she tried not to cry. "Well, isn't that special. So you weren't like, madly in love with her. I had always hoped my father was someone who was desparately in love with my mom. And then I would dream that he disappeared because of, I don't know - doing something heroic in the war. Something like that. Now I find out that it was just a one-night-stand...and that I was a fucking mistake. I should have known...should have known...oh gods, why did I even bother trying to find you..." The girl wept softly, rocking back and forth.

"No, you're not," Reno said, his voice breaking. "You're not a mistake." Without thinking, he rushed over to Tirsa and wrapped his arms around her in an awkward bear hug. She protested mildly against it at first, struggling weakly against Reno's arms around her, but finally gave in, collapsing against Reno in exhausted defeat.

"I don't want - " Tirsa began weakly, her chest heaving with broken sobs. "I don't know what to do anymore," she blubbered, crying into Reno's shirt. "I have nowhere to go."

"Shh, let it out, yo," Reno whispered, stroking the girl's hair as she sobbed despondently. "Let it out. You're safe now, and you _do_ have somewhere to go...right here. Nobody will hurt you anymore, you got it? As long as I'm breathin', _nobody_ will lay a hand on you."

"That goes for me too," Cloud said quietly, stepping further into the room. Tirsa peeked up through tearstained eyes, muffled sobs still caught in her throat.

"You're family," Cloud continued, nodding. "That means we have to stick together."

"I don't know," Tirsa sniffled. "I just don't know...like, why I even came looking for you," she said sheepishly, staring at Reno.

"Because you didn't know what else to do, or where else to go," Reno answered, nodding. "I get it, I do. More than you know. You need to rest, Tirsa. Maybe I'll see if Cloud here has some pajamas you can borrow. He's really short, in case you hadn't noticed...I think you two are almost the same height," he cracked, winking at Tirsa, who grinned.

"Hey!" Cloud protested, smirking. "I heard that. Let me see what I can find, okay? Be right back." He turned and left, heading into the master bedroom to search for something Tirsa could wear.

"So," Reno said, "we don't have to talk about this now, but when you're ready...I do want to know what happened to your mom."

"Well, she died," Tirsa said flatly, scooting back on the bed. She pulled the comforter down, and slid her legs underneath the warm layers of bedding. "Someone killed her. I couldn't get there in time, but...the last thing she told me, was your name, and that she thought you were with the Turks."

Reno blanched, rubbing his forehead with his hand. "She...she was killed?" he stammered, shocked. Reno had hoped Dayanara hadn't met a violent end as he'd feared, but once he learned she'd worked for Corneo's son, he hadn't held up much hope for the woman dying of natural causes. "Gods. I'm so sorry, Tirsa," he murmured. "That you had to see your mom die like that. She...was very beautiful. Very sweet. The first girl I ever kissed," Reno reminisced.

Tirsa wiped her eyes with balled up fists, and asked Reno, "Did you love her?" Reno stiffened, not sure how to answer the question without upsetting the girl any further.

"I did care for her very much," Reno said, nodding and smiling. "I was crazy about her. She was...kinda crazy in her own way, too. I loved that about her. Suddenly, Cloud re-entered the room, holding a small bundle of clothing.

"Hope these fit you," he said, setting the clothes on the bed. "Just some sleep pants and a t-shirt...they might be a little big, but I hope they'll do." Tirsa nodded, smiling shyly at Cloud. Despite her suspiciousness of practically everyone, she was starting to warm up to Reno and Cloud. Still, part of Tirsa was determined to flee; she didn't really know why, either. Her father was showing her a kindness she hadn't expected to find - and Cloud was being more than gracious. Tirsa wasn't used to this kind of life, this sort of treatment. She was certain, deep down, that it all had to be some sort of great, cosmic joke, and the rug would be pulled out from her at any given moment. Paranoia and suspicion were second nature to the girl, partly out of necessity.

_It would be nice,_ she thought, _to think I could have some sort of normal life here. But I just don't know. My father is a Turk...my mother was a prostitute...maybe I should just go back to where I came from, after I see if there's anything worth stealing here. For now...I'm gonna sleep._

"I'm really tired," she said, yawning. "I'm gonna go to sleep now, I think. Thanks for the food and the pj's," she said, smiling slightly.

Reno brightened, smiling back. "You're welcome. We'll let you get changed now, okay? And hey, we're just down the hall if you need anything."

"Okay," Tirsa replied, nodding. "Good night." Reno and Cloud exited the room, Cloud shutting the door behind him.

They made their way back to the living room, and Reno sighed loudly as he sank onto the couch. "Gods, what a day," he groaned, kicking his boots off and leaning back. He eyed Cloud, and gave him a smirk. "C'mere, you," he said, motioning Cloud over. Reno pulled him down into his lap, hugging him hard to his chest and kissing him. "Fuck, I needed that," Reno whispered. "Well, I need _more_ than that, but...now that we've got company..."

"Yeah," Cloud said dryly, lofting an eyebrow. "_That_ would be awkward." He hugged Reno, then turned and curled himself into his side. "So...a daughter," he murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief. "How in the world did that happen?"

"Well, Cloud," Reno drawled, grinning. "When a man and a woman lie in bed together, sometimes the man becomes aroused, and so..."

"Shut up, you idiot," Cloud retorted, chuckling. "I know the mechanics of it, all right? I mean...you must have been how old, when it happened?"

"I was fifteen," Reno said soberly, sighing. "I know, Cloud - I know how bad that sounds."

"Obviously...you didn't use a condom," Cloud ventured. "Or maybe you did, and it broke?" he said hopefully.

"Well...I did, and I didn't," Reno said cryptically, staring at Cloud, smirking.

"What do you mean?" Cloud demanded, frowning. "Either you used one, or you didn't. What the hell, Reno?"

"I mean," Reno went on, "that I didn't exactly have one at the time, yo, so I...kind of improvised. Used what I had on hand."

Cloud groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh gods. I'm afraid to ask. So I won't."

"It was a rubber glove," Reno volunteered sheepishly. "I thought it would work! Obviously...it wasn't foolproof."

"A rubber glove," Cloud repeated. "You know...I realize you were only fifteen, Reno, but seriously? A _glove_?"

"It was sterile, at least," Reno argued. "I had found a box of those surgical gloves. I thought, ya know how they say...'no glove, no love'...well, I had a glove, so I kind of modified it..."

"I really don't want to know anything further, Reno," Cloud muttered, frowning at Reno. "_Really_."

"Babe," Reno said, tracing his fingers up Cloud's back and neck, then stroking his hair. "Thank you. I mean it, you've been great about this. You just accepted her, no questions asked...you're pretty fucking awesome for doing that."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Of course I did," he murmured quietly. "She's our family now, right? Tirsa...reminds me a bit of Denzel, when I found him," Cloud continued.

"Yeah," Reno replied, nodding. "I can see that. You did right by him too, you know." Reno pulled Cloud onto his lap again, shamelessly tonguing his lips and mouth.

"Mmm," Cloud murmured, moaning as Reno slid his hand down the front of his pants, grasping and stroking the hard flesh. "Oh shit, Reno...don't..."

"Oh, what's this?" Reno said teasingly. "Going commando here, Cloud? I _like_." Reno's head kept telling him _no, stop, your daughter is sleeping in the next room, idiot_; but Reno's libido was beginning to win this battle.

"Fuck, Reno," Cloud rasped, reluctantly pulling Reno's hand out of his pants. "We can't do this. Not right now...and certainly not in the living room."

"Fucking killjoy," Reno retorted teasingly. He sighed resignedly, knowing Cloud was probably right - but that didn't mean he had to like this one bit. "Cockblocker."

"Who are you calling a cockblocker?" Cloud said, smiling. "Look, I _want_ to - and believe me, I'm ready to - but you know, Tirsa might not even be asleep yet..."

"You're right, you're right, " Reno said, sighing. "I know you're right. Plus," he continued. "She's a runner. We might have to stay up all night and keep watch."

"Well, you take first watch then," Cloud said, turning and laying back in Reno's lap. He closed his eyes, letting Reno play with his hair. "I'll take a little nap while you do that."

"Okay," Reno agreed, keeping a sharp eye and ear trained toward Tirsa's bedroom door. "I'll wake you in a little bit, then we'll switch. I don't like doing this...I mean, she's not in jail, yo, but I do not want her back out on the streets. Not ever again."

"I agree," Cloud said softly, yawning. "We'll...help her." Moments later, Cloud had drifted off to sleep, leaving a restless Reno alone with his thoughts - which were many, and scattered.

_I'm going to make Corneo's kid pay,_ he vowed silently. _I don't even know if he was involved in Dayanara's death...Tirsa didn't say, maybe she didn't know, either...and I ain't gonna press the poor kid any further. But he's definitely gotta pay for scaring my kid. _Reno knew what he needed to do, and as Cloud and Tirsa both slept, the Turk formulated a plan in his mind.


	3. Screaming For Vengeance

**A/N: If you haven't read "Until the End", it might get a tiny bit confusing, so I'll 'splain this one bit. :)****  
><strong>**In the prior story, Cloud learned he was one-quarter Cetra, and there is reference to that in this chapter. **

**Warnings for this chapter: Language, some violence, and introduction of a new OC.**

* * *

><p><em>I don't talk about it, but that's alright<em>  
><em>Table's turned now there's a revenge in sight.<em>  
><em>If it takes forever babe I tell ya, I can wait<em>  
><em>Send them screaming back through their hell's own gate.<em>

**Screaming for Vengeance, Judas Priest**

* * *

><p>A few hours later, and Cloud finally stirred, waking from his nap. Reno smiled at the sleepy blond nestled in his lap. "Hey babe," Reno said, his fingers sweeping spiked bangs out of Cloud's eyes. "Sleep okay?"<p>

"Yeah, just fine," Cloud murmured, yawning. "Just needed a little nap, that's all. Your turn to sleep now…anything happen with Tirsa? She still asleep?"

"Not a peep," Reno affirmed, nodding toward the guest bedroom door. "Door hasn't opened, and I haven't heard a sound from her."

"Good," Cloud said, slowly sitting up on the couch. He stretched and yawned again, working the kinks out of his neck. "I'm up now…why don't you take a rest yourself."

"Nah, I'm good, Cloud," Reno muttered. "No, really, I am," he insisted, as Cloud gave him a doubtful look. "Mind's racing, man. I couldn't sleep anyway, not even if I wanted to." Cloud nodded understandingly. "Think I might take a walk."

"Oh?" Cloud said quizzically as Reno stood up. He frowned, studying Reno; something about him seemed a bit off to Cloud. "Reno…Reno, are you okay?"

"Fine," Reno replied shortly. "Never better." He walked over to the front closet, and grabbed a locked metal box from the top shelf, hidden behind a pair of old boots. Taking it down, Reno set it on the floor, and rummaged for the correct key on his keychain. Reno unlocked the box, and withdrew a semi-automatic pistol – a .380 caliber Ruger. Reno glanced back to see Cloud glowering at him.

"Reno…" Cloud began, knowing exactly what Reno had in mind with that Ruger. "Now I know you're not just going for a walk if you're bringing that with you. Damn it, Reno, I almost lost you once...so just what in the hell are you planning?" He glared at Reno, as the Turk stared back at him, sighing sadly.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to do anything _stupid_, Cloud," Reno retorted. He set his mouth in a thin line as he checked the sights on his gun, then loaded a magazine into it. "Just going to do something that needs to be done." Setting the gun aside, he reached into the closet for a shoulder holster, and put it on, then inserted the handgun into the side, patting it.

"I don't like this. I know you can handle yourself, Reno, but...can't this wait until morning?" Cloud pleaded. "Then you could have backup, I could even go with you – "

"It _can't_ wait, Cloud," Reno said quietly, staring at him. He felt a bit of guilt; after all, wasn't he doing the very same thing Cloud had done last year, taking off after Sephiroth? _Although, at least I'm not sneaking off the way Cloud did_, Reno thought wryly. _I think we both know better now, than to do anything like that again._ The last thing Reno wanted to do was to run off half-cocked with rage, but Reno wasn't angry, which rather scared him a bit, if he was being honest. He felt cold and robotic, but more than anything, he felt the need to move and take action immediately. He couldn't sit around, knowing Corneo's son was out there. _Don't even know where he is, but I know who to start aski_ng, Reno thought grimly, as he went through his mental index of informants and undercover agents the Turks had used on the Corneo case, before it had been closed shut for lack of progress and new information. Reno shoved another magazine into his pants pocket, hoping it would be enough ammunition.

Cloud sighed resignedly, and got up from where he was seated on the couch. "I know I can't talk you out of this, and I guess I'd be stupid to try," he said, standing and facing Reno. Cloud pulled Reno in toward him, and kissed him tenderly. "Please come home in one piece."

"Always for you, babe," Reno replied with a small grin, returning the kiss. "You know I have to do this Cloud, right?" he said seriously. "You _know _I have to."

Cloud nodded. "I know. And I'd be right there with you to help, if Tirsa wasn't sleeping in the next room."

"Thank you," Reno said softly. "I know you would."

"Take your EMR with you?" Cloud asked, leaning his head on Reno's shoulder. "Please."

Reno nodded. "You _know_ I never leave home without that, Cloud," he said, chuckling. The Turk shrugged a jacket on, concealing the shoulder holster, and grabbed his EMR, fastening the leather strap about his wrist. He set his jaw determinedly, and gave Cloud another kiss before he left.

"I'll always come home safe, Cloud," Reno murmured, tracing his cheekbones with his fingertips. "Always."

"Holding you to that," Cloud said with a small smile. "Be careful. And if you need backup – _call_ someone. Call me, call Rude – "

"Rude doesn't even know about Tirsa, you know," Reno muttered, suddenly remembering. "Shit. I just realized that, you know? And I ain't calling Rude on this, babe. He has a kid now – "

"_You_ have a kid now," Cloud reminded him gently. "Think about that before you do anything too stupid out there, will you?"

"Told you I won't do anything stupid, babe," Reno said, giving Cloud a wave as he quietly opened the door to leave. "Only doing what needs to be done. I love you."

"Love you too," Cloud called after Reno. He sighed in frustration after the Turk left, cursing Reno's impulsive nature, and failure to think things through, _ever_. Cloud felt torn; part of him wanted to take off after Reno, though he knew damned well Reno could and would take care of himself. The rational side of Cloud, of course realized that there was a very good reason he needed to stay behind: _Tirsa_.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened, and a sleepy-eyed Tirsa emerged, surprising Cloud.

"Everything okay?" Cloud asked. He forced himself to hide a grin; Tirsa, upon waking, was so similar in her mannerisms to Reno, that it was uncanny_. The way she tilts her head to the side to crack her neck with her eyes still shut; just her posture, it's all Reno. She is so much her father's daughter_, he thought. The realization made him smile, and gave him a bit of a chill at the same time.

"Yeah," Tirsa replied, yawning and stretching. "Everything's fine." She looked around the living room, and frowned. "Where…is Reno? Is he asleep?"

Cloud hesitated slightly before replying; he wasn't sure just what he should tell the girl, but decided that honesty was probably the best policy in the end. "He, ah…went for a walk," Cloud explained awkwardly. "Said he wanted to get some fresh air."

"At midnight?" Tirsa said skeptically. "That's kind of odd."

"Maybe," Cloud replied, trying to sound indifferent. _She might be only twelve years old…but there's no putting anything past her_, Cloud realized. "Reno's kind of…different," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, I guess," Tirsa snorted, grinning. "Hey…can I sit here?" she asked suddenly, motioning next to Cloud. _Seeing as there's nowhere else to sit here_, she thought.

"Sure, go right ahead," Cloud offered, moving down to make some room. "Plenty of room here."

"So," Tirsa said, cramming herself into the corner of the couch, as far away from Cloud as she could manage; while he'd given Tirsa no reason to distrust him, the fact was that the girl was mistrustful of practically everyone. _Gods, she's so damaged_, Cloud thought sadly. _Much more so than Denzel, when I found him. At least he trusted me enough to let me help him, right from the start._

"Um, you must be pretty pissed about this, huh?" Tirsa continued, sizing up Cloud, trying to anticipate his reaction.

"Pissed about what?" Cloud asked, not exactly sure what Tirsa was asking.

"About _me_," she replied, smirking. "Just showing up and breaking up your happy little home here. And I bet you hate kids."

"You're not breaking up our home, Tirsa," Cloud retorted. "And for your information, I _don't_ hate kids. I have two of my own. Well...they're not mine, technically, but I'm in their lives, anyway. They depend on me...I suppose I'm like a substitute father to them. They're both orphans," he explained.

"Oh," Tirsa replied, the surprise clearly evident on her face. "Two kids? So why don't they live here, then?"

"Because, they live with my friend Tifa," Cloud explained patiently, smiling. "I know...it doesn't exactly sound normal - "

"Like I know what normal is, Cloud," Tirsa retorted. She sighed, and sat back on the couch, shivering.

"You cold?" Cloud asked, reaching for a throw blanket. "Here," he said, handing it over to Tirsa. "Sorry I didn't have like, a bathrobe or something for you..."

"It's okay," Tirsa replied, giving Cloud a reluctant smile. She had to admit, Cloud and Reno were being kind to her, far kinder than she'd expected them to be. _Too bad I'll be robbing them blind the first chance I get..._

"I could make us some hot chocolate, if you want," Cloud offered, smiling. "Since we're both up anyway."

Tirsa nodded. "Okay. That sounds nice," she said, attempting a smile. "I want to get a book out of my backpack. I'll be right back." Cloud looked at her dubiously, and she laughed. "I won't _go_ anywhere, don't worry."

"All right, then," Cloud said, hoping she wouldn't be impulsive like her father, and take off abruptly. _There's no question where she gets it from, though_, Cloud thought wryly. "I'll be out in the kitchen."

Tirsa ran into the bedroom, and got her backpack, and quickly ran back into the living room. She unzipped the huge pack, and went through the pretense of rummaging through her belongings to look for her 'book.' She smirked, stifling a laugh as she scanned the contents of Cloud and Reno's entertainment center.

_I'll start with the video games and DVDs_, she told herself. _Only a few, so they won't miss them to start. Gods, they're so fucking trusting of me, _Tirsa thought scornfully_. Idiots. So dumb... _Quietly, glancing up to see if Cloud was still preoccupied with making the hot chocolate, Tirsa tiptoed over to the entertainment center and grabbed ten DVD's, and five video games, tucking them under her arm. She sat back down on the couch, and shoved the items into her bag; as Tirsa glanced up, she was a bit taken aback to see Cloud standing right there, frowning, with a mug in each hand.

"Find what you were looking for?" Cloud asked, feeling a bit suspicious of the girl; though he hadn't actually caught her doing anything wrong, he'd only seen her zipping up the knapsack - he felt an odd vibe nonetheless. _Something is off_, Cloud thought. _She's too agreeable now…her moods keep shifting. Understandable, to a point, as she's been through a lot, but something just doesn't feel right to me._

For the moment, Cloud decided to say nothing, and just observe Tirsa's behavior and movements. Maybe it's my imagination, he thought, setting the mugs of hot chocolate down on a folding tray.

"Here you go," Cloud said, smiling. "I put marshmallows in it, too."

"Oh, thanks!" Tirsa said happily, taking the mug from the table and sipping the beverage. "I can't remember the last time I had this," she murmured. Cloud wanted to believe her enthusiasm was for real, but he couldn't shake the lingering doubt_. Must be the Cetra in me_, he thought ruefully_. Maybe I'm just chasing trouble here…_

"So," Cloud began, nodding toward Tirsa's backpack. "Did you find your book?" The girl sputtered and choked on the hot chocolate, and began coughing.

"What?" she blurted, setting her mug back down as she hacked and choked. Cloud raised an eyebrow curiously. "What book?"

"Need a drink of water?" Cloud offered, a bemused look on his face. _Gods, just like Denzel was at first...alternately trusting, then sneaky and defensive...Tirsa's going to be a tough nut to crack_, Cloud thought.

"S-sure," Tirsa replied, in between coughing fits. _Shit. Don't go near my bag, don't go in my bag_, she silently pleaded, casting a furtive glance at the knapsack.

Cloud went into the refrigerator and rummaged for a bottle of water, which he quickly brought over to Tirsa, sitting next to her again. _She's on edge_, he noted to himself. _And nervous, like she was caught doing something she shouldn't be doing...hmm._

"So, if you want to some time, I thought I might introduce you to Denzel and Marlene," Cloud said, waiting for Tirsa's reaction to this. As she gave him a confused look, Cloud smiled, and explained. "The kids I was just telling you about...that I sort of adopted. Not officially, but anyway. We're all family, I guess that's the best way to put it."

"Oh, sure," Tirsa said, sniffing indifferently. The fit of coughing had subsided, and she continued to slowly sip her water.

"Better now?" Cloud asked, glancing sideways at Tirsa. She nodded, taking another sip of water. "Yeah," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm fine."

"So, did you find what you needed there?" Cloud pressed on, pointing to Tirsa's bag. "What book are you reading?"

"Oh...um, I couldn't find it," Tirsa murmured, breaking away from Cloud's stare. _He knows...I know he knows...but how does he freaking know? I swear he didn't see me do it, I was careful to wait until his back was turned..._

"That's too bad," Cloud remarked casually. "Tirsa? If...there's anything you want to tell me, now is the time," he said firmly, staring the girl in the eye. _Ball's in her court, now...I have no proof that she's up to something, just a stupid hunch..._

"How did you - " she began, sputtering. "Fine!" she snapped, frowning. "Fine, I took something, I'm sorry!" Tirsa grabbed the backpack and opened it, taking out the stolen DVD's and video games, practically throwing them at Cloud, who caught them.

"Don't throw things at me," he said stonily, narrowing his eyes at Tirsa. "You know, you don't have to resort to stealing from us. Anything you need, you ask me, or your father - "

"He's _not_ my father - " Tirsa began, but Cloud held up a hand to cut her off.

"I don't want to _hear_ it again," Cloud snapped angrily. He had a long fuse, but Reno's daughter was really pushing her luck with him at this point. "Listen. You're the one who came to Shinra seeking Reno, in case you forgot. Was that the plan, then? To make nice with your father and I, then try to steal everything under our noses? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"I - I didn't mean to - " Tirsa said tearfully, her bottom lip trembling. _Shit_, Cloud thought, a bit guiltily. _She's gonna cry. Either she's a great actress, or I'm being too harsh...but, it needs to be said. _

"I'm sorry,"Tirsa whispered, her eyes welling with tears. She was, and she wasn't sorry, if she were to be honest; she was certainly sorry she'd been caught, but some small part of her really did feel bad for upsetting Cloud. _They've both been nice to me...so far_, she thought sadly. _I just keep waiting for them to turn on me. Because they always do, in the end. _

"It's okay," Cloud said, sighing. He ran his hand through his blond spikes in frustration, and sighed again, then smiled at Tirsa. "Just...don't do that again, please. If you need something, seriously - ask us."

"Can I ask you something?" Tirsa said quietly. As Cloud nodded, she cleared her throat. "Where did Reno go? He's been gone a while now, I thought you said he was just taking a walk?"

"That...well, I don't know how much I should be telling you, Tirsa," Cloud said seriously, a worried look now on his face. "But, your dad is looking for Don Corneo's son."

Tirsa didn't even bother correcting Cloud this time and arguing that Reno 'wasn't her father.' "Oh, no," she gasped, her face falling. "I wish he hadn't done that...what if something happens to him, it'll be my fault!"

"No, it's not your fault," Cloud murmured, trying to sound reassuring, although he was having the same thoughts himself. _No, Reno wouldn't be out there if it wasn't for Tirsa...I can't help but think, though, if it was Denzel or Marlene...I'd be doing the same thing._

"Listen, Reno is a Turk," Cloud told Tirsa confidently. "He can take care of himself...he's second in command, he wouldn't have gotten to that position if he wasn't capable."

"I'm sorry, Cloud," Tirsa murmured, tears falling freely now. "I'm really sorry."

"Please stop crying, Tirsa," Cloud said quietly, attempting a smile. He threw an arm around the girl in a half-hearted hug. "You'll make me feel worse." He was trying like hell not to show it, but Cloud was worried about what Reno might be getting himself into.

* * *

><p>Reno started with his usual selection of informants; former occupants of Sector Five, and Sector Six's Wall Market in old Midgar. Some were former patrons and employees of the Corneo-owned Honeybee Inn; one was even a former guard for the Don himself, and that was just the man Reno was seeking. So far, he'd had no luck finding him as he strolled down the streets of lower Edge, toward the poorer section of the rebuilt city.<p>

The Turk chuckled softly as he recalled when Cloud had told him - beet-faced - about his infiltration of Corneo's mansion along with Aerith, and how Cloud had gone so far as to don a dress, and disguise himself as a woman.

"What I wouldn't give to have seen that," Reno muttered to himself, smiling. He walked along, seeking out the one man who might be a key to finding Corneo's son. _Bastard_, Reno thought, setting his jaw. _Chasing after my kid for his sick and twisted perversions… a **twelve** year old, for Gaia's sake…that'll be the last mistake he ever makes._

Reno suddenly came upon a familiar face – not the man in question he'd been desperately searching for, but one of the girls who'd once worked at Honeybee Inn, as an 'escort', as they'd liked to be called. _Escort, hooker...,_ Reno thought. _Doesn't matter how they dress it up, it's like putting lipstick on a pig, calling them 'escorts'… _While Don Corneo's 'girls' changed about as often as his socks,Reno remembered this particular woman; there had been that one time, long ago, when he'd intervened and helped her to get away from a rather unreasonable and abusive 'guest' at the Honeybee Inn. _And to think, I only went to Wall Market that day to shop for materia...how do I get sucked into everyone else's drama all the time?_ Reno mused, chuckling.

"Yo, Aylin," Reno called, greeting the woman. She was exiting a nondescript looking, small apartment building, just as Reno was passing by. The city of Edge was taking shape, mainly in the metropolitan center of town, but here on the outskirts, Reno was reminded of the slums. People were throwing dwelling structures together haphazardly, constructed out of debris from post-Meteorfall Midgar. The result was vaguely reminiscent of the slums of Sectors five through seven in old Midgar.

Aylin looked up, startled, as she saw Reno approach. Her features relaxed into a smile as she recognized him. "Reno, is that you?" she called to him, smiling up at him. Aylin was a petite but leggy blonde; even in the four-inch stiletto heels she was wearing, she had to crane her neck to look up at Reno.

"Yeah, it's me," Reno replied easily, smiling. "Been a while, eh, Aylin? How've you been?"

"It has been a while," Aylin agreed, nodding. "I'll never forget what you did for me though, last time we saw each other. I've been okay...trying to put my life back together. Again. You know...the continuing saga," she said, laughing. Her honeyed brown eyes were sad, despite her laughter; strain and worry showed in her face. Reno suspected things were not exactly peachy keen for Aylin, not that they ever had been.

"You're not working for...Corneo's son, are you?" Reno asked, lowering his voice to a whisper. He glanced furtively behind him, to make sure nobody was within earshot, as he came closer to Aylin. "I hope you're not...but if you are, I could use your help."

Aylin's smile vanished, and the worried expression crept back on her face almost instantly. "Over here," she hissed, motioning Reno to follow her. "I don't want anyone to hear me, there's an alley down here where we can talk," she explained. Reno nodded, and followed Aylin, automatically tightening his hand-grip on his EMR.

"So what gives, Aylin?" Reno asked once they were in the alley way, feeling mildly concerned, given Aylin's fearful behavior.

"Well, I _was_ working for Don," she whispered. "I walked off the job last week though...and I really don't know why I bought into his lies. He promised us that things would be different than they were when his father ran things...I should have known that he was full of shit," Aylin said bitterly, sighing. She fumbled in her purse for a cigarette, and placed it between her lips. "Got a light?" she muttered to Reno.

"Sure, sure," Reno said, reaching into his pocket for his lighter, he flipped it open and lit Aylin's cigarette for her, then flipped the lighter shut, pocketing it again. "So...what's going on?" Reno pressed. "Things the same as they were under the old Don, or worse, or...what? I'd appreciate any info you can give me, Aylin," he explained. "Let's just say Corneo's fucking with someone close to me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Aylin said, sighing as she blew out a ring of cigarette smoke. "Such an asshole, but even worse than his father," she said bitterly. "You know...you get used to the perversions of men, being in my line of work," she said candidly. "I thought I had seen it all. But at least the _old_ Don wasn't a damned pedophile."

Reno bristled, clenching his jaw in anger as he heard this. "He's a pedophile?" the Turk asked quietly. "Aylin, I had heard things along those same lines...so now that I've got confirmation, now I need to know where to find him. I will fucking end this. And _him_." Reno stiffened as he sensed the presence of someone else in the alley, someone behind him.

"Who's this, Aylin?" came a jeering voice. "Got yourself a new boyfriend, or is this a paying customer? You know it's cash only, right, Red?"

Reno whirled around, brandishing his EMR as he bared his teeth, snarling. In front of him stood three large, beefy looking guys, and all were slowly approaching Reno, trying to back him into the corner.

"Who are these thugs, Aylin?" Reno asked, without taking his eyes off of any of them.

"They work for Don," Aylin replied, her voice trembling. "Please, guys - " she pleaded. "Please don't hurt us. Don't hurt _him_, he's a friend."

"Oh, I know who _he_ is," the tallest of the three men said, chuckling. "He's a fucking _Turk_. Tell me, Aylin, when did you start hanging around with Turks? You know the Don don't like nobody poking into his business."

"Well, isn't that too fucking bad," Reno snapped. He slid a hand inside his jacket, reaching for the gun inside its holster. "You are messing with the wrong guy, I can tell you that much."

The men all paused and looked at each other, then laughed uproariously. "Yeah," grunted the tall man. "Three of us, against one of you. Naw, I think we picked just the right guy. Skinny little fuck, I could break you in half."

"Go ahead and try me!" Reno snarled, getting into a defensive stance. "Get behind me, Aylin," he muttered under his breath, as he switched on his EMR.

"But I - "Aylin began, protesting.

"_Get behind me_!" Reno shouted, launching himself at his attackers as they drew in, trying to hit them all with his EMR. The one closest to Reno dodged the crackling, electrified tip of the EMR, and managed to get a hand-hold on Reno's jacket, slamming him against the brick wall of the alley way. While Reno was momentarily dazed, his attacker used that moment to grab Reno by the back of his neck, and slammed his forehead into the brick wall repeatedly. Blood began pouring from the wound that had formed over Reno's eyebrow, casting everything in his field of vision a hazy shade of red.

"Fuck," Reno panted and heaved, tasting blood as he slumped over, trying desperately to regain his footing as the blackness of unconsciousness threatened to overtake him. _Damn it, no!_ he thought as he sank to the ground on his knees. _No...not like this...not gonna die on my knees like a fucking dog...gods, Cloud's going to fucking kill me..._

Everything appeared to be swimming to Reno, and the metallic, coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he fell to the ground.


	4. Get Up

_I am clearly broken  
>And no one knows what to do<br>Pieces of the puzzles don't fit so I pound them into you  
>Itching is a pulse inside<br>Creeping out to come alive  
>It's just doing what<br>It's gonna do_

_Times are looking grim these days  
>Holding on to everything<br>It's hard to draw the line_

_Shut the fuck up, get up  
>Shut the fuck up, get up<br>Shut the fuck up, get up_

_I can't wait to rip my eyes out and look at you  
>Peace through pain is precious<br>'specially when it's done by you_

_Itching is a pulse inside  
>Creeping out to come alive<br>It's just doing what  
>It's gonna do<em>

_Times are looking grim these days  
>Holding on to everything<br>It's hard to draw the line  
>And I, I'm hiding in this empty space<br>Tortured by my memories  
>Of what I left behind<em>

_Shut the fuck up, get up  
>Shut the fuck up, get up<br>Shut the fuck up, get up_

**"Get Up!" – Korn**

* * *

><p>Cloud and Tirsa both finished their hot chocolate sometime before one in the morning, at which time the girl began to get drowsy once again. "I'm tired," she said, yawning. It had been so long since Tirsa slept in a real bed; and, so long since she'd been on the run from Corneo's son that the exhaustion settled into her bones like body aches borne of influenza; she just couldn't shake that sleepy feeling at all.<p>

"Better head to bed, then," Cloud commented, feeling rather tired himself. Worrying over Reno was keeping him from sleep, however.

"Aren't you tired, too?" Tirsa mumbled through a half-yawn, as she stood and stretched. "You should sleep."

"I am tired," Cloud admitted, "but I'm not going to get any rest until Reno gets home."

"You're worried about him," Tirsa observed, attempting a smile.

"A little bit," Cloud said, sighing. "Reno can take care of himself, but he can also be...a bit reckless. Which is why I worry. I nearly lost him once..."

"What do you mean?" Tirsa said, suddenly interested, despite feeling so tired. "What happened?"

"I really don't want to upset you or anything, Tirsa," Cloud began. The dark circles were beginning to show under his eyes; he truly was exhausted, but knowing Reno was out there doing Gaia knew what in his quest for vengeance, Cloud was not about to rest easy anytime soon. "But, Reno was badly injured last year...when he was kidnapped by Sephiroth - "

"Sephiroth?" Tirsa interrupted, her green eyes wide. "Wait...Cloud...you're not Cloud _Strife_, are you?"

Cloud laughed, surprised that Tirsa hadn't realized this until now. "One and the same," he said, smiling. "Usually people recognize me by my hair," Cloud joked. "Sometimes I can't even go out to get coffee without getting mobbed...although, things have kind of died down since last year, anyway."

"Holy crap," Tirsa blurted, grinning. "I can't believe you're _him_. So, what happened to...uh, my dad, with Sephiroth?"

Pausing for a moment, Cloud thought for a bit, and decided not to go into overly gory detail in describing just how badly Reno had been injured; a stab wound to the heart from masamune - an injury which should have mortally wounded him, but somehow, Reno had survived it. "Sephiroth hurt your father badly with his sword. Reno very nearly died. In fact, he claims that he _did_ die, and came back..."

Cloud's thoughts wandered for a moment as his mind went back to that day where he thought he'd lost Reno. _Worst day of my life,_ he thought. _But Reno...oh my gods, he told me...Aerith said something about a daughter. Aerith **knew** about Tirsa._

"Isn't that something," Cloud murmured, in wonderment.

"Isn't _what_ something?" Tirsa mumbled, yawning widely. She swept her hands through her long, auburn hair, pulling it back from her forehead as it cascaded down her back.

"Oh, nothing," Cloud said airily. "My mind's just...kind of wandering right now. I must be tired. And I can see that you are tired, so why don't we both turn in."

"Okay," Tirsa said drowsily, nearly stumbling as she stood up, shuffling back toward the guest bedroom. She fell back into the double bed, drawing the covers up around her, and Cloud closed the door as he passed by on his way to the master bedroom. "Good night, Tirsa," Cloud said softly, realizing the sleepy girl probably didn't even hear him.

Sighing, Cloud made his way to his own bedroom, the next door over from Tirsa. His mind was racing; Reno had been gone several hours now, and hadn't even called to report any progress, or lack thereof. Even though Cloud would never nag Reno to check in, the Turk would generally do it anyway, often joking that he missed hearing Cloud's voice. As the saying went, the silence was indeed deafening. Cloud glanced at his cell phone, lying on the bedside table, and scanned through his menu of recent and missed calls. The last one had been from Tifa, earlier that evening.

_Funny_, Cloud thought with a smirk. _Time was, when I didn't want to answer this damned phone...I wanted to shut myself away from everyone...now I'm holding it, hoping that it rings. Gods, Reno...what the hell happened? _Cloud was beginning to worry that something had gone terribly put the phone aside on the table, and slid beneath the heap of blankets and comforter in the king-size bed, which was still unmade. He suddenly felt small in the huge bed, with Reno not there. Instinctively, Cloud scooted over toward the empty middle, and traced his fingers along the small divot in the mattress that would normally be occupied by Reno. Worry and fear flared up in Cloud's heart again, as his mind began to imagine worst-case scenarios.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Cloud muttered to himself. "Why am I worrying like this? He really hasn't been gone _that_ long - "

_~not that long, but he really would have called by now if everything was okay~_

"-and I really need to stop worrying like I'm his mother or something. He'll be fine..."

_~but what if he's not?~_

"Shit," Cloud muttered irritably, finally admitting defeat against any attempts to get some sleep. He glanced at the digital clock, on the table by Reno's side of the bed. _That thing he always ignores_, Cloud thought with a smile. _He hit the snooze button twenty-three times this morning. I counted._

It was just before dawn, and Reno still hadn't returned, having left around ten p.m. the night before. As the sun peeked over the horizon, Cloud decided it was time to do something. He reached for his cell phone again, and dialed Reno's cell phone. _Should have called sooner than this_, Cloud fretted, hearing the call go directly to Reno's voice mail. He ended the call, and began dialing another number.

"I really hope you're awake," Cloud muttered as the phone rang. He heard a click, and a deep voice saying "hello?"

"Vincent," Cloud said into the phone. "I hope I didn't wake you. I may need your help."

"You didn't wake me," the former Turk replied. "Cloud...what's wrong?"

"It's Reno," Cloud replied wearily. "He never came home last night." He could almost see Vincent's glare, and realized how the statement might have sounded.

"Do you want me to take care of him?" Vincent asked gruffly, and Cloud nearly laughed.

"No, Vincent," Cloud replied, smiling slightly. "Nothing like that. Listen...there's quite a bit I need to fill in. Not just with you, with everyone. Got a bit of news yesterday. Anyway, Reno went off last night, hell-bent on looking for Don Corneo's son - "

"Wait a minute," Vincent cut in, interrupting him. "Don Corneo has a son? What does he have to do with Reno?"

Cloud sighed. There was too much to tell, and he didn't feel like wasting much time explaining things, so he decided to give Vincent the condensed version of recent events. "In a nutshell...Reno has a daughter. She showed up to Shinra yesterday asking for Reno. Her name's Tirsa...she's twelve years old, and when Reno pressed her about why she wants to keep running away, she told him it was because Don Corneo's son had been after her."

The silence lasted for more than ten seconds, Cloud assumed Vincent was simply digesting all of the information, which had come out of him in a torrent.

"Well, then," Vincent said dryly. "I'm assuming Reno went gunning for Corneo?"

"You got it," Cloud said, sounding frustrated. "Damn it, I told him to wait until morning! He said it couldn't wait."

"Typical Reno," Vincent murmured quietly. "And Reno probably didn't tell you where he was headed, I'm sure...but, I think I might have an idea. I know where I'd start asking questions, if I were seeking out Corneo."

"I keep forgetting you used to be a Turk," Cloud commented, smiling. "Vincent, where should we start?"

"Meet me near Seventh Heaven," Vincent said, "within the hour. Oh, wait," he continued, suddenly remembering. "What about the girl?"

"Yeah, Tirsa," Cloud said, scratching his head. "Uh...I guess I'll have to ask Tifa if she can hang out with Denzel and Marlene. Wait, is Yuffie up to anything?"

Vincent chuckled. "I can ask her," he replied. "Does a twelve year old really need a babysitter, though?"

"Let's just say," Cloud said candidly, "that Tirsa hasn't proven herself to be very trustworthy. Yet. And, she's a runner. Plus...she's been living on the streets for two years, you know? I don't want to just like, abandon her."

"You're very selfless sometimes, Cloud," Vincent noted. "I'll be sure to make Reno realize that when we find him."

Cloud laughed without mirth. "Yeah, well," he snorted. "Let's hope that we _do_ find him, Vincent."

"I'll leave now," Vincent informed Cloud. "And I'll see if Yuffie is up for hanging out with Reno's daughter, and if she is…she will come with me to Seventh Heaven." Vincent held back a chuckle, as he imagined what Yuffie's reaction when he told her Reno had a daughter.

"Okay, thanks," Cloud said gratefully. "See you soon." With that, Cloud ended the call, and decided he should wake Tirsa as soon as possible. First, however…a phone call to Tifa was in order. Cloud sighed as he dialed the number to Seventh Heaven. He didn't feel it'd be right to just _show up_ with Tirsa and leave her there…a little bit of warning would be nice, Cloud figured.

He inhaled sharply, preparing to hear Tifa's voice on the other end of the line, while he mentally rehearsed just how he was going to break this bit of news to her…and then, casually mention that he would need to leave the girl at Seventh Heaven for a short while.

_No other choice in the matter_, Cloud thought, as he waited for Tifa to answer_. I just have a bad feeling Reno's in trouble…and we need to get there as soon as we can._

_Before it's too late._

* * *

><p>Reno spat out a mouthful of blood as he swayed, trying to stand. He slowly came to realize that he must have blacked out – for how long, Reno had no idea. It also felt to Reno as if he'd been kicked repeatedly in the ribs.<em> Damn it, I think at least one of them is cracked. Fuck… no, I am not going down like this! <em>He spat again, feeling something fall out of his mouth. _Shit, was that a tooth?_

_Aylin….where the hell's Aylin?_ Reno wondered, trying to re-focus his eyes, having a bit of difficulty doing so. He was still too groggy to ascertain where Aylin was; his ears were ringing, the jeering voices of his assailants floating up to his ears.

"Get up, you chicken shit," he heard one of them calling, taunting him. "Skinny ass Turk, we can wipe the floor with him, come on now." Reno slid his hand inside his jacket, fumbling for the Ruger that was tucked securely into the shoulder holster, just as he felt a hand fall upon his back. Reno spun on his heel as he pulled out the gun, and fired blindly into the bulky figure behind him.

_~one clean shot, aim for center of mass, just one shot that's all it takes~_

The bullet flew out of the chamber, and tore through the man's chest wall, ripping it open. Blood spurted back as the aorta was severed, splattering Reno in the face, and the man fell to the ground.

"Who's next," Reno grunted, blinking his eyes, trying like hell to get them to focus properly.

"Gods-damned Turk," came a voice from Reno's left side. He hadn't even sensed anyone there, and now it was too late to properly train his weapon on this assailant, as the thug was aiming his own firearm right at Reno's head. Reno raised his Ruger, aiming at his attacker as well, in a futile attempt to defend himself. It was now a standoff, with no clear outcome as to which of them would live or die.

_Fuck, I didn't even hear him over there, _Reno thought_. Shit. I wonder if I have a concussion…not that it even matters, I'm going to have a hell of a headache when this guy blows a **hole** in my fucking head._

"So, who's going to fire first then, eh?" Reno said, narrowing his eyes at the man facing him. "And where's Aylin, by the way?"

"She took off," the man replied, sneering. "Trashy whore that she is."

Reno bristled at this. Yeah, Aylin might be an escort – prostitute – whatever you wanted to call her, but that didn't give anyone the right to call her that, Reno thought. He considered the girl a friend, and wouldn't stand for this.

"That's no way to talk about a woman, asshole," Reno snapped. His eyes widened as he heard the unmistakable sound of the hammer being cocked back; Reno said a silent prayer that death, if it came, would come quickly.

_~not going to die without getting one last shot off of this asshole~_

Reno narrowed his eyes into a squint, and squeezed the trigger on his Ruger. Just nanoseconds before the bullet exited the chamber, Reno heard the crack of a bullet being fired…from somewhere behind him. He flinched, fully expecting the bullet to pierce the back of his skull, and exit out the front.

_~oh fuck me, I'm surrounded, the other guys must be behind me~_

He blinked stupidly as he saw a bullet explode through the forehead of his enemy, then saw the bullet from his own gun smack the man's chest mid-center. "What the fuck?" he blurted, spinning around. A grin broke out on his face as a swirl of crimson entered his field of vision, followed by a quickly moving thatch of blond spiked hair.

"Cloud!" Reno cried hoarsely, stumbling as he attempted to run toward him, faltering a bit as dizziness hit him briefly. "Fuck, my head," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his skull.

"Thank Gaia," Cloud said, sounding both peeved and happy to see Reno, as he stepped toward him. Cloud reached one arm around Reno, hugging him, his other hand gripping his sword. "Idiot," he murmured into Reno's shoulder. "Told you to wait, didn't I?"

"You did," Reno admitted sheepishly, sighing in relief as he returned the hug, suddenly feeling guilty for not listening to Cloud. He glanced over toward Vincent and nodded, acknowledging his presence. "Thanks, Vincent," he said. "How'd…how'd you know where to find me, anyway?"

"I didn't, really," Vincent replied, arching an eyebrow. "Cloud told me who you were after, though…so I kind of deduced where you'd start off. You know…you're damned lucky we got here when we did, Reno," Vincent concluded, frowning.

"I know," Reno said soberly, looking guiltily at Cloud. "I'm sorry, babe. I broke every Turk rule I know, going out here. Should always let someone know where I'm heading, and I didn't. And…I see now, that backup might have been a good idea. I guess sometimes…I don't always think things through first."

"You think?" Cloud remarked sarcastically. "Come on. We've got some leads, Vincent and I…but I want to get you home."

"Yeah, home," Reno mumbled, the throbbing in his head returning. His eyes widened, as the thought hit him. "Home! Cloud, where's Tirsa? You didn't leave her _alone_, did you?"

"I didn't," Cloud replied, shaking his head, giving Reno a pointed look. _About time you remembered your **daughter**_, he thought, slightly annoyed. Cloud wondered how much of Reno's distraction had to do with his obvious head injury, or with just Being Reno. "She's at Tifa's place…with Yuffie."

"With Yuffie?" Reno echoed, a grin on his face. _Oh man_, he thought, his grin widening_. I don't know if those two will get along…at all…they are very much alike._

"Yeah, with Yuffie," Cloud replied. "Reno…let's go home."

"Wait a minute, yo," Reno said, scratching his head. He rubbed his index finger against the dried blood caked on his forehead and cheek. "How long was I out for? And by the way…where's the other guy? There were three dudes…and Aylin, the girl, what happened to her?"

"The other guy is dead," Cloud said simply, nodding toward the prone body lying some fifty yards away. "He rushed us when we came up here, and I ran him through with my sword."

"Too fucking right, yo," Reno muttered in admiration, glancing at the corpse of his attacker. "You never told me though, what happened to Aylin," he continued, swaying a bit as he clutched his his head. "Oh, my fucking head…" he moaned.

"You never gave me a chance to finish," Cloud retorted, helping Reno to stand. "Easy there," he cautioned. "Looks like you got your ass handed to you."

"Please shut up, Cloud," Reno snapped, groaning as the pain in his head worsened. "And don't remind me." _What in the blue hell happened to me?_

"Aylin is fine," Cloud told Reno, throwing an arm around his shoulders in an attempt to keep him standing upright. "Vincent saw her home, right after I stabbed your friend over there," he explained, nodding toward the nearby corpse.

"Ain't no friend of mine," Reno drawled. He felt miserable, he was certain he had a concussion, and worst of all - he hadn't found Corneo's son and taken him out.

"Well, I know that," Cloud replied dryly. "Come on…let me take you home."

"But Cloud…what about Corneo?" Reno protested, looking desperately at Cloud. "I _want_ Corneo. I want him _dead_, yo."

"I know you do," Cloud replied, helping Reno to walk along, as they headed out of the alleyway. "But I don't want _you_ dead, so shut the fuck up and listen to me."

"I'm hurt, yo," Reno quipped, but he knew Cloud was right. He'd fucked this up utterly, and hadn't gotten any closer to Corneo than he'd been before he'd set out. Perhaps it was time to ask Tseng to reopen this cold case on Corneo's son_. Now that I know that Aylin is connected, all I have to do is talk to her again, maybe she can give me his location._

"Cloud," Reno hissed, clutching Cloud's arm as they walked down the street. "Tell me you talke to Aylin…was she able to tell you anything?"

"Vincent talked to her," Cloud said, giving the ex-Turk a decided glance, hoping Vincent would correctly interpret the silent message to reveal nothing at the moment. _Not until later_, Cloud thought – _not until after Reno's been examined by a doctor. _He knew all too well that the Turk wouldn't rest if he knew they had a possible lead on Corneo, but Reno did need to be treated.

_He might get pissed at me for not telling him right away_, Cloud reasoned, _but at least this way, he won't rush right back out there and get himself even more hurt._

"Let's go home," Cloud urged. "Tirsa's waiting on us." Reno nodded, his head slumped over on Cloud's shoulder, as they made their way to Vincent's car, a black sports sedan.

* * *

><p>Under much protest, Reno reluctantly and eventually agreed to let one of Shinra's paramedics examine him once they got to Seventh Heaven. He flatly refused to go to the hospital, and settled on this compromise, since Cloud basically gave him no other choice.<p>

"You're going to be the death of me," Cloud muttered, once arrangements had been made – through Tseng – to have a paramedic dispatched directly to Seventh Heaven.

"Don't even joke about that yo," Reno said hoarsely, his eyes widening in a bit of fear. He was laying on a bed in the upstairs apartments over Seventh Heaven – Cloud's old room, Cloud's old bed, as they waited for the paramedic to arrive. Tirsa was downstairs with Tifa and Yuffie, and It Reno flinched as he heard a shriek from downstairs – a female, from the sounds of it – followed by an angry exchange of words.

Cloud and Reno exchanged a glance, and the blond frowned, as he tried to make out what was going on downstairs. He didn't want to leave Reno's side, not while the Turk was still feeling so woozy, but he wanted to know just what was going on downstairs; perhaps it was another unruly, drunken patron that Tifa needed to have thrown out. Cloud had seen Barret on his way in, and trusted that the man would escort out anyone who was starting something – but the screams continued to escalate.

"What in the fuck is going on down there?" Cloud muttered, shaking his head as he glanced at Reno.

"Damned if I know," Reno returned, smirking. "Better go find out, eh?"

Cloud arched an eyebrow and gave Reno a knowing glance. "You won't try anything stupid, will you, if I go downstairs to see what happened? Like get out of bed when you have a possible concussion?"

"_Possible_ concussion, Cloud," Reno stressed, groaning as he shifted uncomfortably in the twin-sized bed. "Ain't been confirmed by the medic, not yet."

"Well, I'm confirming it for you," Cloud snapped. "Something's definitely wrong with your head, you're not acting right." As Reno snickered, Cloud rolled his eyes. "You _know_ what I mean, Reno," he huffed. Cloud knew Reno hated sitting still, hated it when he had to wait around for medical clearance, but it was for his own damn good. "Stay here and don't move…if I come back here and find that bed empty, I will hand your ass to you without a moment's hesitation, got it?"

"Ooh, Cloud, I love it when you talk dirty, babe," Reno quipped, winking at the blond. "Don't worry, I won't move a muscle. 'Cept for the biggest one, maybe." He leered at Cloud, eyes now trained on the blond's crotch. Cloud rolled his eyes even further back into his skull.

"Reno, you have a possible concussion, and you're thinking about sex," Cloud muttered. "Really?"

"Can't help it, yo," Reno replied, smirking. "You make me horny."

"Reno," Cloud said irritably. "_Air_ makes you horny." The door opened, and in came Vincent, ushering the Shinra paramedic inside.

"Vincent!" Cloud said, startled, as he got to his feet. "What the hell is going on downstairs? Sounds…quiet now, though," he observed, straining his ears to listen. "What happened, Tifa get another drunk she had to shut off?"

"No," Vincent said in a low voice, glowering darkly. He sighed, sounding wearied and annoyed.

"No, it wasn't one of Tifa's customers. Yuffie and your daughter – " he continued, looking pointedly at Reno – "seem to have gotten into a bit of a…disagreement."

"Disagreement?" Reno echoed, trying to sit up. "Where is she! Where is Tirsa? Ow…my head….fuck, this hurts. Cloud, I want to see her, please."

"Okay," Cloud said slowly, nodding. "I'll get her. _You_, just sit your ass here and let the paramedic do his job, okay?" Cloud pleaded, giving the EMT an apologetic look.

"I will, Cloud," Reno nodded, a pained look crossing his face as the throbbing in his head intensified. "You're right, you know….I ain't right in the head." He gave a sickly grin, raising a hand weakly as he waved to Cloud.

"I'll be right back," Cloud told him. Nodding at Vincent, he motioned him out into the hallway. "I'll walk back down with you Vincent, but please tell me what in the hell happened between Yuffie and Tirsa? I'd rather not walk into the middle of a civil war," he quipped.

As they walked down the small hallway toward the staircase, Vincent said, "It all started over some materia. Of course," he added, chuckling. "Yuffie is accusing Tirsa of stealing from her stash."

Cloud groaned. "Oh shit," he muttered. "and you know, Yuffie could be right." The statement was met with a curious look from Vincent.

"Hmm?" Vincent murmured as they reached the landing.

"I caught Tirsa trying to steal from us, Vin," Cloud explained in a whisper.

A harried looking Tifa was holding back Yuffie, who was trying to swat at Tirsa, who was standing to Tifa's side, her chin sticking out defiantly.

"I didn't do it, bitch!" Tirsa yelled, as Tifa held her back with one arm.

"ENOUGH!" Tifa shouted, exasperated. "Both of you, cut this shit out! Denzel and Marlene will be home from school soon, and they don't need to see this. _Nobody_ needs to see this, you just drove out my last customers with your antics," she complained.

"Tifa!" Cloud called, rushing over. He frowned at both Yuffie and Tirsa. "Just what in the hell is going on here?"

"She started it!" Tirsa said tearfully, pointing at the young ninja.

"_You_ started it, you little thief!" Yuffie snapped, trying to reach around Tifa to bitch-slap Tirsa.

"Yuffie, _stop_," Cloud snapped, firmly grabbing her by the arms, and backing her away from Tifa and Tirsa. "Vincent…" he remarked, glaring at the former Turk, "I can't believe you didn't intervene. Your girlfriend is trying to beat the hell out of Reno's twelve year old daughter…and you left Tifa to handle it herself?"

"Tifa _can_ handle herself, Cloud," Vincent argued. "I really didn't think it would escalate this badly…"

"You thought wrong, Vin," Cloud retorted. Turning back to Yuffie, he said, "Now tell me – _one at a time, please_ – how this started."

"Well, first of all, I was showing off some new materia that I'd found," Yuffie said airily, still glaring daggers at Tirsa, who hissed at her. Tifa was now restraining the twelve-year old, who looked like she was ready to scratch Yuffie's eyes out if she got too close_. Gods, she really is her father's daughter_, Tifa thought, a bit admiringly if she were to be honest. Tifa herself was a scrapper and a fighter, and couldn't help but admire that fighting spirit that Tirsa seemed to possess in spades.

"Found?" Cloud murmured, amused. "Or…otherwise acquired mysteriously?"

"Shut up, Spikey. You're such a pain in the ass," Yuffie retorted. "Anyway, I found some new materia, and was showing Tifa here. I put it back in my case, left my case at the bar when I went to the ladies' room, and when I got back, she had the materia in her thieving little hands!" Yuffie shouted, pointing again at Tirsa.

"I was just looking at it!" Tirsa protested. "I swear, Cloud, please! You have to believe me! I put it right back!"

"Not until I noticed it was gone, you lying little bitch!" Yuffie retorted shrilly.

Cloud sighed wearily. He really didn't know _who_ to believe, but he knew one thing for certain; Yuffie was a bit of an idiot for leaving an entire _case_ of materia unattended at a bar, even if it was Tifa's bar.

"Listen," Cloud barked, letting go of Yuffie as he glared at her. "You should never leave materia unattended. And you," he said, looking pointedly at Tirsa. "I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt, but we'll discuss this later. I don't know _what_ to believe at this point, and frankly, I don't really care. Reno has been hurt, he may have a concussion, and he's asking for you, Tirsa. So you need to come upstairs with me."

"Okay," Tirsa said quietly, nodding tearfully. "I'm really sorry about everything, Tifa," she said apologetically. "It was nice meeting you." Tifa gave a tired smile and waved at Tirsa, then glared at Yuffie and Vincent.

"Both of you," Tifa said firmly, gesturing toward the barstools. "Have a seat. I have a few things I'd like to say." Vincent frowned at Yuffie, who smiled sheepishly at him. "Shit," Yuffie muttered. "Oops, I did it again…"

Cloud walked Tirsa toward the staircase, and showed her to his old room where Reno was laying down. "He's in here," Cloud said quietly, nodding at the paramedic who was exiting.

"How is he?" Cloud asked the paramedic.

"He's fine," the medic replied, nodding. "No concussion, he's had a hell of a blow to the head, though. I taped his ribs; they're not cracked, but heavily bruised and painful. I gave him an injection for the pain, it'll probably make him sleepy. And here's a prescription for some more pain meds…every four hours, or as needed."

"Okay," Cloud replied, taking the slip of paper from the medic before he departed. "Thank you, for everything."

"Make sure he follows up with a doctor if any of his symptoms get worse," the paramedic cautioned. Cloud nodded, then turned to escort Tirsa into the small bedroom.

"Cloud," Reno moaned, squinting at him through pain-stricken eyes. His eyes brightened a bit as he saw Tirsa standing beside him, seeming uncharacteristically subdued, almost apprehensive. "Tirsa…so glad you're here," he said sleepily.

"Hi…uh, hi dad," she said hesitantly, slowly stepping forward. She frowned, noticing Reno's bandaged forehead, blood still seeping through from the wound. "You got hurt," she said accusingly.

"Yeah, I did," Reno admitted, wincing as he touched his head. "Just a little, Tirsa, don't worry…I've seen worse than this," he said, attempting a grin at his daughter, to hopefully put her at ease.

"And I wanna go home, Cloud," Reno added pleadingly. "Please. I want to be in my own bed, I know I'm not supposed to do anything for the next few days, I promise I'll be good – "

"I suppose I can call us a cab," Cloud replied, pulling out his cell phone. "You can sit in a car for two blocks, right?"

"I can," Reno said, nodding. He attempted to sit up, groaning in pain as he did so. "Tirsa, pull me up – " he begged, grunting. The dumbfounded girl nodded, and extended her hand, helping Reno into a sitting position.

"You're hurt because of _me_," she said, in that accusatory tone again. "Cloud told me you went after Don Corneo – "

"Cloud, why the hell'd you tell her that?" Reno demanded, staring at Cloud. "Shouldn't have told her…that…"

"Reno, shut up," Cloud snapped, exhausted. "You have no idea what I've been through today, and I'm not about to fill you in now, I just want to get you home so you can rest."

"I'm…sorry, babe," Reno whispered, suddenly feeling guilty. "I know, I went about this all wrong – I know that now – I'll ask Tseng about this when I'm back to work, see if the Turks can launch a new invesitgation…can't let him get away with this, man…"

"I know that, Reno," Cloud said softly. "And I'm sorry I got pissed. It's just been a long day. For Tirsa, too," he said, giving the girl a knowing look.

"It's okay," Reno replied, swinging his legs over to the side of the bed, as he attempted to sit. "I realize putting up with me ain't easy…"

"No, it's not," Cloud replied, a small grin on his face. "But for some reason, I do it anyway. I'll call for that cab now," he said, turning his attention to his cell phone once again.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this, Tirsa," Reno told the girl sadly. "I really am. This…this isn't normal for me. Well really, I don't think there is a normal for someone like me…I'm a Turk, it's in my blood…the minute you told me that Don Corneo was harassing you, and knowing what I know of his father – "

"You were out for blood," Tirsa finished, smiling. "It was kind of cool….and kind of scary, at the same time. Nobody's ever cared for me to defend me like that…except for my mother."

"Yeah," Reno whispered, his eyes sad. "Your mom…I'm so sorry she's gone, Tirsa. I know I said it before, but I really am. We were there for each other, during one of the worst times in our lives…I'll never forget her."

Tirsa impulsively reached her arms around Reno's slim frame and hugged his slim frame, tears in her eyes. Reno was shell-shocked; he slowly raised his leaden-feeling arms, and tentatively wrapped them around the diminutive girl.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you…for doing that." She cleared her throat awkwardly and pulled back from Reno, smiling shyly at him.

"But please don't get yourself killed like mama did," Tirsa added tearfully. "I don't think I can take it, if that happens." Reno's eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the comment; he truly didn't know what to make of that, or how to respond. Tirsa seemed so fragile right now though, that Reno decided not to press any further.

"Cab's on its way," Cloud reported quietly, sensing that something had just transpired between Reno and his daughter, but he wasn't sure what it was.

"Good, yo," Reno replied, grabbing onto Cloud's offered arm as he was helped to his feet.

"Take me home, babe," Reno pleaded to Cloud, a cheeky grin lighting his face even as he gritted his teeth in pain.

_Take me home._


	5. Family

**Warnings for this chapter: Language (duh, it's Reno!) and a lemon. :)**

* * *

><p>With Tirsa and Cloud flanking him on either side, Reno was slowly helped downstairs, and into the waiting cab. Yuffie was uncharacteristically silent, still glaring at everyone as they left; she was sitting in a booth with Vincent, her arms folded across her chest as she pouted, still being lectured by Tifa.<p>

The pain medication was starting to take affect, and Reno was beginning to slur his words. "Whas up Kisaragi's ass, Cloud?" he mumbled, grinning as nearly fell into the backseat of the cab. "Wow. I feel drunk, yo."

"It's that injection you were given," Cloud explained. "For pain. And as for Yuffie...she and Tirsa got into a bit of a fight earlier." He glanced over at Tirsa, who had gotten into the taxicab and sat on Reno's left side, a guilty look on her face.

"A fight, really?" Reno remarked, his interest piqued. "That's my girl," he told Tirsa, grinning. "Ya know, Yuffie can be a bitch. I hope you laid her flat, yo."

"Reno!" Cloud hissed. "Tirsa feels badly about what happened. _Don't_ you, Tirsa?"

"I do," the girl said solemnly, nodding. "Well...I still don't like Yuffie. But I feel bad that Tifa got in the middle. She's really nice...and pretty..." Tirsa said admiringly. "But Yuffie _was_ being mean to me."

"Did you take the materia, Tirsa?" Cloud asked quietly, studying the girl's face for her reaction. "Please...tell me if you did or not."

"I told you before, Cloud, I didn't," Tirsa insisted. "I swear on my mama, I didn't steal it. It happened just like I said, I was looking at it - it was a kind I never saw before and I was curious. Then Tifa started asking me about school, and telling me about Denzel and Marlene, and I forgot about putting it back, until Yuffie started screaming."

"Why would you blame Tirsa, Cloud?" Reno demanded, confused. "You shouldn't go blaming my kid like that - "

"Reno, while you were out looking for Corneo, I caught Tirsa trying to steal from us," Cloud interrupted, explaining. Reno's mouth fell open in surprise as he stared disbelieving at Tirsa. "I can't believe you would do that," he told her, frowning. Suddenly the foggy feeling Reno had been having from the medication was fading, he was _pissed_.

"Let me get this straight. You just show up at my employer looking for me...I allow you to come live with me, no questions asked, and this is how you repay me, and Cloud?" Reno couldn't help but have some empathy toward the girl; after all, he'd been in her shoes once. He wanted to make sure she knew that he'd meant it, when he said he'd promise to be there for her.

"Look," Reno continued, lowering his voice. "I know how it is out there. I was stealing shit the minute I realized I could make some easy gil by turning around and selling it in places like Wall Market. You just don't get it yet, do you? You don't have to _do_ that anymore, Tirsa. We're family, and I meant every word when I said that I'm loyal to my family. So stop looking for reasons to leave, maybe you'll find you like living with me and Cloud."

"I didn't think..." Tirsa began hesitantly, feeling flustered as her father glared at her. _I fucked up. Big time. I can't help it though, nothing good ever lasts for long. Something bad always happens..._

"We're here," Reno muttered, as the cab came to a stop in front of the apartment building. "Finally. Cloud, babe, just help me up the stairs," he told him, grunting as he exited the car behind Cloud. "Just get me into bed, and I'll be fine."

"Didn't you say that on our first date?" Cloud quipped, grinning as he assisted Reno out of the car.

"I don't think we even _had_ a first date, did we?" Reno replied, chuckling. "We kind of just ended up, ah..." He paused, blushing, as he saw Tirsa holding the door open for them, looking at her father expectantly.

"How did you guys meet, anyway?" Tirsa asked, smiling. "Was it romantic?"

Reno laughed so hard he felt the tape around his ribs move. "Ow. Gods, that hurts," he said, still laughing. "Oh gods, Tirsa, you have no idea how funny that was." The girl blinked at him, of course not getting the inside joke.

"We'll...explain later, how your father and I met," Cloud said, smiling. "Let's get Reno upstairs first. Then I have to get this prescription filled."

"I don't need no pain pills," Reno argued, as they reached the top of the first landing in the stairwell. "Just some good, straight bourbon, Cloud, you know the kind I like - "

"Yes, I do know the kind you like, it's the same kind I like," Cloud reminded him, smiling patiently. He fished the door keys out of his pocket, handing them over to Tirsa. "Could you open the door for us?" he asked her, while he hoisted Reno, holding him up.

Slowly, Cloud and Reno made their way to the master bedroom, Cloud helping Reno along until they'd reached the side of the bed, and Reno fell bonelessly into the bed - dragging Cloud on top of him.

"Mmm," Reno growled appreciatively, feeling Cloud's pelvis against his groin. "Guess you missed me, eh?" he murmured with a grin, waggling his eyebrows at Cloud.

"Reno, quit it," Cloud hissed, quickly extricating himself from the horny Turk. He nodded his head in Tirsa's direction, glaring at Reno. "Your daughter's still _here_, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Oh," Reno said dumbly, his head still feeling a bit odd and spacey. "Oh...yeah."

"I'm going to the pharmacy to get this prescription filled," Cloud stated. "Tirsa...can you stay in here with your dad, until I get back, keep an eye on him?"

"Uh...sure, I can do that," the girl replied, nodding. She sat timidly down on the foot of the bed, and smiled up at Reno.

"And don't tell her anything inappropriate," Cloud ordered Reno, giving him a knowing look.

"Inappropriate?" Reno echoed, feigning hurt feelings. "And when would I tell her something like that? I'm not an animal, yo."

"Probably every two minutes, you say something inappropriate for a twelve year old to be hearing," Cloud commented, leaning over to give Reno a quick kiss. "Your favorite word begins with 'f' and ends with 'k', for one thing."

_It's also my favorite ve_rb, Reno thought, biting his lip. _Just add an 'ing' at the end..._

"So what, Tirsa uses that word a lot too," Reno grumbled, giving his daughter a small grin. "And Cloud, I thought I told you, I don't want those damned pain pills." _If I start taking those, I won't be able to get it up for a week, and I don't even want to think about that._

"I'm getting this filled just in case you need it," Cloud informed him. "Don't argue with me."

"Wouldn't dream of it babe," Reno said drowsily, blowing Cloud a kiss as he left. "Bye..." Reno heard the front door shut, and leaned back on his pillows, smiling over at Tirsa.

"So," Reno began awkwardly. "I'm uh...sorry if I worried you, Tirsa."

"It's okay," Tirsa replied, smiling. "I guess it shows that...you care. Or, that you're crazy."

Reno laughed out loud at this. "Maybe a little bit of both, eh?" he chuckled. "Well, I've been called worse, I suppose."

"Cloud really loves you," Tirsa observed, studying Reno intently. "He was really worried."

He nodded, smiling. "He does," Reno said soberly. "And I'm sorry I worried the both of you, I am. I went about this all wrong. I'll talk to my boss tomorrow. Well, you met Tseng already, Tirsa. He's the commander of the Turks, and I'm hoping he'll let me reopen the case, so I can go after Corneo."

"Yeah," Tirsa replied. "He was very nice to me. I don't think he believed me, though, until I showed him my birth certification from the hospital."

Reno's face grew pale, he felt something come apart inside of him. "Birth...certificate? Can I see it, Tirsa?" he asked, eyes growing wider. "Do you mind?"

The young girl nodded vigorously, apparently touched by Reno's interest in that little piece of paper. "I have it still, but it's in my bag," Tirsa told him. "I'll go get it."

"Okay," Reno replied, feeling his emotions getting the better of him - guilt being the biggest thing he was feeling at the moment. Not more than a few seconds later, Tirsa returned with the dog-eared piece of paper, and presented it to Reno.

"Everything's digital now, Tseng was able to call this up from the hospital database anyway," Tirsa commented as Reno looked over the old document. "But he _insisted_ that I had to produce an original copy," she explained, rolling her eyes. Reno grinned at that. "Mama always kept this paper copy, though, for some reason."

"I'm glad she did," Reno said, his voice dropping to a whisper. His eyes scanned the print; it somehow hurt to see Dayanara's name in black and white like that.

_Mother: Dayanara Liakh  
>Father: Reno [last name unknown]<br>Child: Tirsa Aoife Liakh, female. 6 pounds, 9 ounces, 17 1/2 inches in length_

His eyes traveled further down the document, and his hands shook violently when he got to the section containing Tirsa's tiny baby footprints and handprints. Reno's voice became a garbled, choked sob when he tried to speak.

"Oh gods," he said, voice heavy with emotion, his hands still trembling. "You...were so small. So tiny, and helpless...gods, poor Dayanara, too. She was all alone, just a kid...having a baby all by herself. I _should_ have been there, damn it. And I wish I had been."

Tirsa's eyes filled with tears; she couldn't believe that Reno was actually _upset_ over this, and it touched her. "It's...it's okay," she murmured. "You didn't know. She told me you didn't know…because she never told you."

"But I should have...I don't know, stuck around! Dayanara, she...I thought she didn't want anything to do with me, after we...gods, I thought she like, dumped me, you know? So I stewed for a bit, all pissed off...then I went off and joined the Turks."

"Liakh," he murmured, reading the name out loud. "Was that Dayanara's last name? You know...funny as it sounds, she never told me if she even had a last name. And I never told her my last name, you kind of lose that when you're a street kid...most of the time we made shit up, pick a cool-sounding name, and bam, it's yours. And you really lose your name once you become a Turk. Turks don't have last names."

"It wasn't her last name," Tirsa replied. "She didn't have one…and she wanted me to have a last name, so she used that. It's the name of a flower that only grows in Wutai. Mama promised me, we'd go there someday. But we never made it."

Reno choked back a sob, and beckoned to Tirsa, motioning her to come closer. "Come here," he whispered, opening his arms to Tirsa, and wrapping her in a hug. Any louder, and the Turk feared he might lose total control of his voice, and break down sobbing. _Hold it together, Turk…hold it together, for her…_

"I'll take you there someday," Reno murmured. "I'll take you there someday, and we'll pick one of those flowers for your mom, okay? Maybe...put it on her grave," he added, realizing he had no idea where Dayanara's body was interred.

"She doesn't have a grave," Tirsa told Reno tiredly. "Her body was cremated. I have her ashes with me...everywhere I've gone, mama has been with me."

Reno felt a cold, sick feeling in the pit of his stomach; it was obvious that Tirsa and her mother had been very close, the fact that the girl was carrying around her mother's ashen remains was a testament to that."

"Then she'll come with us too, when we go to Wutai," Reno said stubbornly.

"Okay," Tirsa said, sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "Okay..."

Reno and Tirsa looked up as they heard a noise at the front door; Cloud had returned. Moments later, he appeared in the bedroom, the prescription bag in his hand.

"Hey, thanks for staying up with him, Tirsa," Cloud said, glancing at the both of them. "You guys hungry? I was thinking of making something for dinner - "

"I can cook," Tirsa offered. "I mean, I can't cook anything fancy, but I can make like...spaghetti or something."

"That sounds good, Tirsa," Cloud said, smiling. "I can show you where everything is in the kitchen whenever you're ready. I think we have stuff to make spaghetti..."

"Yo, Cloud," Reno interrupted, sitting up in bed. "We need to book a trip to Wutai. A vacation." He and Tirsa exchanged a glance, and Reno nodded at the girl, smiling. "I don't mean right away...obviously. But I told Tirsa that I'd take her there. It's, ah...kind of important for both of us, I think. So I can pay my respects."

"O...kay," Cloud said, clearly having no idea what Reno was talking about; he wondered if the pain meds had finally gone to Reno's brain. For now, Cloud shrugged and smiled and said, "Sure, we can talk about that later, I guess."

"Wanna rest," Reno said with a groan, turning slightly on his side. "Show Tirsa where everything is, babe, I'm gonna take a nap."

* * *

><p>After they'd eaten, Cloud insisted on clearing the table and doing the dishes, while Reno and Tirsa hung out in the living room, playing video games with each other.<p>

"Dinner was good, yo," Reno remarked, stealing a sidelong glance at his daughter, as the two sat next to each other on the couch. Tirsa's bottom lip was tucked under her top teeth as she concentrated on the game - Reno's favorite helicopter/flight simluator game. They'd started the game with Reno's cocky declaration that he would win, since flying was second nature to him; still, he found himself quite amused that his own daughter was wiping the floor with him.

She narrowed her eyes, and pressed a button twice, rapidly, on the video game controller, shooting two missiles into Reno's aircraft. The simulated craft began smoking, and did a tailspin as it fell out of the sky, spinning down into a pixelated landscape of mountains.

"Ha!" Tirsa chirped, clapping her hands. "I won! I won!" She beamed at Reno, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Maybe...well, maybe I just _let_ you win, hmm?" he said teasingly, snorting a laugh.

"Nah," Tirsa said dismissively. "You just clearly suck at this game." She tittered over Reno's expression of mock indignation, then sobered, the smile leaving her face. "I haven't had this much fun in a long time," she said quietly, her eyes growing sad once again.

"Me too," Reno said, ruffling Tirsa's hair. She swatted his hand away, pretending to be annoyed.

"So, you still wanna run away from here?" Reno asked Tirsa quietly, studying her as he waited for an answer.

Tirsa looked up at Reno, eyes wide. "I...I don't think I do," she finally said, sounding surprised at her own answer. "But I still can't believe you _want_ me to stay."

"I'm probably going to turn blue saying this, until you believe me," Reno said firmly, "but yeah. I do want you to stay - we both do. We're all family now. But if you pull any shit like trying to steal, or whatever - believe me, I ain't gonna be happy about it, and neither will you."

"I won't do that again," Tirsa said solemnly. "I promise."

"Good answer," Reno replied, grinning. "Getting late...damn it, I forgot," he groaned, suddenly remembering. "You still don't have any pajamas, do you? And we really should take you shopping for uh...clothes and shit, I guess. You probably need some new things, right?"

"I'm okay for tonight, actually," Tirsa told him, smiling. "Tifa let me borrow a few things, until I'm settled, she said."

"Tifa is awesome," Reno said gratefully. "Help me up?" he murmured, holding his hand out to Tirsa as he tried - and failed - hauling himself off of the couch.

"Here," she said, helping Reno back to his feet.

"Thanks," he replied. "I'm getting better. You know, I don't normally gimp around like an old man."

"You're older than me," Cloud said with a grin, as he came back into the living room.

"Hey, don't be like that, yo," Reno said, sniffing. "I'm ailing, you know. You should take pity on me."

"Uh huh," Cloud muttered, chuckling, looking anything but sympthetic. "Come on, old man, I'll help you to bed."

"Hmpf," Reno muttered. glaring at Cloud as he limped down the hallway. He swatted away Cloud's hand, which was on his arm to help support him. "No, fuck you, go away," Reno retorted. "I am not elderly, damn it." Tirsa giggled, and headed down the hallway, back toward the her bedroom.

"So I guess this is your bedroom, now," Cloud called to Tirsa. He nodded and smiled at her, then said, "If you want to like...decorate it, or maybe we can paint it or something...let me know. I'll help you. It looks kind of boring right now, I know."

Tirsa's eyes filled with grateful tears and she began to cry. She impulsively ran over to Cloud and hugged him, burying her tear-streaked face in his shoulder. "Th-thank you," she murmured. "I've never had anything like that, to call my own."

"Well, this is your home too," Cloud told her, smiling. "I want you to be happy here. Good night, Tirsa."

"Good night Cloud," she replied quietly. "Good night...dad."

" 'Night, Tirsa," Reno called. He trudged along to the master bedroom, uncharacteristically quiet, Cloud by his side. The silence, of course, did not go unnoticed by Cloud.

"Cat got your tongue?" Cloud commented playfully, shutting the bedroom door behind them, as Reno sat down on the bed, swinging his legs up as he reclined.

"No," Reno said softly, staring at Cloud with a serious expression on his face. "That was just...a really nice thing you did, just now. And I love you for it. I know Tirsa was, um...a bit of a surprise...but you've been fucking awesome about everything, Cloud."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders indifferently, feeling embarrassed. "I didn't do anything. I just...she reminds me a little bit of Denzel. I keep thinking back to when I found him, you know?"

"Oh yeah," Reno replied, nodding in agreement. "But still, Cloud...it means a lot to me, that you're being good to my daughter."

"Well, it's like I told Tirsa," Cloud said, laying next to Reno on the bed. We're family, period. Maybe we're not very traditional, but so what. We'll make it work."

"Yeah, we will," Reno agreed, closing his eyes as he sank his head into the pillow, relaxing. His ribs were still sore, as was his head, but he was feeling considerably better than he had been earlier that day. He felt the warmth of Cloud's body next to his, barely touching; he turned his head toward Cloud, as if turning his face toward the sun.

"_I want you, Cloud_," Reno said in a low growl, tugging at Cloud's arm. "C'mere." He maneuvered Cloud over him, pulling him down on top of him, as he began kissing him, running his hands rudely down the back of Cloud's pants, sliding his hand inside the waistband as he cupped a handful of ass.

"Reno, you're recuperating," Cloud argued. "We shouldn't - "

"We should," Reno interrupted, cutting Cloud off. "You know it's been like, forty-eight hours since we had sex!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"Horrifying," Cloud replied, trying to hide a grin. "But what about your ribs - "

"My ribs are fine, yo," Reno insisted. "Listen. I know you're a damned worrywart, so here's what we'll do. I'll just lay here, and let _you_ do all the work."

"So no different than how we usually do it," Cloud cracked, laughing as Reno swatted him.

"Ass," Reno retorted.

"Well, that's as good a place to start as any," Cloud quipped, dipping his head lower to kiss Reno, his hands gingerly and carefully wandering up his shirt, trying to ease it off of the injured Turk. Pants soon followed, being thrown into a heap on the floor, then Cloud undressed himself in what he felt was record time.

Flesh to naked flesh, Cloud eased his body back down onto Reno's, savoring his warmth as he plunged his tongue into Reno's open mouth.

"Mmm," Reno groaned through the kiss. "More, babe. Want to feel you - "

"You will," Cloud whispered, as he prepared Reno with a handful of lubricant, coming damned close to bringing the redhead off far too soon.

"Careful, yo," Reno hissed, trying desperately not to lose control. He nearly lost it again in the next moment as Cloud inserted a lube-slicked finger into himself, moaning as he did so.

"Fuck," Reno whispered, gasping. "That is so fucking hot, Cloud. Fuck yourself baby, I want to see those fingers going in and out. Cute and innocent my ass," the Turk continued, a low growl escaping his throat. "That's what the world sees, Cloud...cute, fluffy, Cloud, but you and I know better, don't we?" he said tauntingly, in a low whisper. He knew Cloud loved it when he talked dirty; he'd just have to do it a little more quietly from now on, though, he reasoned. "That's right, Cloud...you like to be fucked good and hard, just like I do..."

"Nggh!" Cloud grunted, a bit too loudly, arching his back as his fingers hit a most sensitive spot. He slowly and reluctantly withdrew the digits, and positioned himself over Reno's ready cock.

"We have to try to be quiet, Reno," Cloud whispered in warning. "Remember...Tirsa's in the room next to ours."

"I _know_ that, Cloud," Reno said, a bit irritably. "And I know I can be loud, too," he fretted. "Hmm," Reno murmured, thinking for a moment. "I know. Cloud...when I'm ready to come, put that pillow over my face."

Cloud frowned at Reno, a puzzled look on his face. "You want me to suffocate you?"

"NO, Cloud," Reno snapped, hissing. "I just...I don't know, I'll bite the damned pillow, or something! To muffle the sound, yo."

"Okay, then," Cloud said dubiously. He let out a guttural groan as he lowered himself onto Reno, and slowly began riding him up and down. "Tell me if you start to hurt, Reno, and I'll stop."

"If you stop, Cloud, my balls will hurt," Reno retorted. "And so will yours. So...ride me, stallion," he quipped, hooting with laughter at his own stupid joke.

Cloud began laughing as well. "Reno, stop," he rasped, chuckling as he slowly rode Reno. "You'll kill the mood."

"Sorry," Reno replied, moaning as he felt Cloud tightening and spasming around his cock. "Oh yeah, baby...right there, fuck, right _there_!" Cloud immediately shushed Reno, as his volume increased.

"She'll hear us!" Cloud whispered frantically. "Be _quiet_!"

"How can I be quiet," Reno murmured, "when I've got this gorgeous man fucking riding me?" Cloud's entire body stiffened; he grasped his cock with one hand and began stroking, leaning his head on Reno's shoulder. He bit down on it, not too hard, but enough to make Reno hiss from the pain. Reno felt his balls contract as he came, and quickly grabbed a nearby throw pillow, jamming it on top of his face and screaming into it as he orgasmed.

Cloud finished, spurting all over his clenched hand. A soft, ragged cry escaped his throat, and he fell back onto Reno in a sweaty, exhausted, heap.

"That..." Cloud began, gasping for breath.

"Yeah," Reno murmured, kissing Cloud's forehead. "That was nice, yo."

"I was going to say," Cloud continued. "That was not exactly...quiet, like we needed to be."

Reno waved off Cloud's concerns. "Don't worry about it, Cloud. We were _mostly_ quiet. I'm sure Tirsa didn't hear a thing."

Cloud said nothing, but shrugged his shoulders, and prayed that Reno was right; otherwise, breakfast the next morning might end up being _really_ awkward.


	6. Mission Accomplished

**Warnings for this chapter: Language, and violence**

* * *

><p>Everyone slept late the next morning, as it was the weekend, and Reno had been excused from duty until Monday morning, due to his injuries. Reno was the last to arise, and when he finally padded out to the kitchen sleepily, he was surprised to see Cloud and Tirsa sitting at the breakfast bar, sharing a cup of coffee.<p>

"You drink coffee, Tirsa?" Reno observed, smirking. "Kinda young, aren't you?"

"I was drinking coffee when I was ten years old," Cloud said, coming to Tirsa's defense.

"Yeah, and you know," Reno said with a low chuckle as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "they say that caffeine stunts your growth." He sipped his coffee while staring at Cloud, still grinning devilishly.

"Are you cracking on my height again?" Cloud snapped, narrowing his eyes.

"Me? Would I do that?" Reno said, feigning innocence.

"You would," Cloud said irritably, "and you _have_. So knock it off."

"Oh, come on, yo," Reno said in a wheedling tone, nuzzling Cloud's neck. "You know I didn't mean anything by it." He dropped his voice to a whisper and murmured quietly in Cloud's ear. "I love every last _inch_ of you, Cloud Strife."

Cloud chuckled, and finished his coffee. "Nice. Well, why don't you have some breakfast. Tirsa made some pancakes for us. We've already eaten ours, though, while you were sleeping."

"You did?" Reno said, looking expectantly at his daughter. "You made pancakes?"

"Yup," she said, nodding. "I did. And I put blueberries in them."

"Aww, I like blueberry pancakes," Reno said with a grin. He saw the stack of pancakes on a platter, resting on a countertop near the stove, and he helped himself to five, slathering them with syrup as he tucked in.

"These are really, really good, Tirsa," Reno muttered around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Don't get too excited, it was from a mix," she replied, snorting a laugh.

"So, what are we doing today?" Reno said, looking to both Cloud and Tirsa. "Any ideas? I got the day off now, yo."

"You," Cloud said pointedly, "should be resting. You got beat up pretty bad yesterday, Reno – "

"I _know_ that, Cloud," Reno replied, rolling his eyes. "Look, I don't want to be stuck in the house all day, and Tirsa needs some things. Clothes and shit. We'll go shopping just around here, we don't have to go far. Tirsa, anything else you need, that you can think of?"

Tirsa nodded, and said, "Yeah, I need to go to the drug store."

"Oh," Reno said, paling slightly, as he feared Tirsa might be referring to feminine hygiene products, which he knew _nothing_ about. "What, ah, what do you need from there?"

The girl glanced at both Reno and Cloud, giving them an odd look before she spoke.

"Earplugs."

Reno began choking on his pancakes. Cloud blushed bright pink, up to the roots of his hair. "Ah...o-okay then," Cloud muttered nervously, feeling beyond embarrassed. "We'll head out in a little bit. I guess we'll have to take the bus, three of us aren't going to fit on Fenrir - "

"What's a Fenrir?" Tirsa interrupted, a quizzical look on her face.

"Oh," Cloud replied, grinning. "Fenrir is my motorcycle."

"It's a very _nice_ motorcycle," Reno said, nodding. He washed down the rest of his pancakes with the remainder of his coffee, and brought his dishes over to the sink.

"I want to see it! Can you take me for a ride later, Cloud?" Tirsa asked pleadingly. "Please? I _love_ motorcycles."

"If it's okay with your dad, sure," Cloud replied, looking to Reno for a response.

"Fine with me, yo," Reno said. "You make sure you wear a helmet, though," he cautioned Tirsa.

"Aww, okay," Tirsa grumbled. "It'll mess up my hair, though." She was toying with the ends of her wavy, deep red tresses, absently putting a few sections into small, thin braids.

"That looks nice, the braids," Reno said, smiling. "You gonna do your whole head like that? Hey, maybe you can braid mine after you're done with yours, Tirsa," he added, snickering.

Tirsa cackled. "That would just look _stupid_," she declared, chuckling. "I mean, really."

"What do you mean, stupid?" Reno retorted, arching an eyebrow. "I think it'd look sexy on me. Cloud, what do you think?"

"I think we'd better get going," Cloud replied, wisely avoiding the question. "Go get dressed, Reno...I'll show Tirsa my bike while you do that, meet us in the garage after you're done, and we'll hop a bus."

"Okay, fine," Reno grumbled, stomping off toward the bedroom. "But I still think Tirsa should put little braids in my hair, yo. I think it would make me look _hot_." As he turned to leave, he missed the glance exchanged between Cloud and Tirsa, as they chuckled over Reno's comment.

* * *

><p>Cloud took Tirsa down to the garage bay in the apartment complex, where he stored Fenrir. The girl's mouth hung open when she first caught sight of the massive motorcycle, and Cloud swelled with pride at her obvious admiration of the machine.<p>

"This is like...the coolest thing ever," Tirsa said, obviously still in awe. She and Cloud were sitting cross-legged on the concrete floor of the garage, as Cloud made some adjustments to the bike with a socket wrench. "How much does something like this cost?"

"Well, hard to say," Cloud said, pausing and scratching his head. "I bought the parts as I could, when I had the money for them...but I custom-built this bike myself, from nothing."

"_Wow_," Tirsa whispered, her hero-worship of Cloud now glaringly obvious. "That is really awesome...I'm like, really, really impressed."

Cloud nodded, and wiped his oil-slicked hands on a rag. "Thanks," he murmured. "It's been a labor of love, I guess, this bike."

"I'm good at building stuff too," Tirsa boasted proudly. "I kind of built a house."

"A house?" Cloud echoed, sandy eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "How'd you manage that?"

"Well, it was tiny," Tirsa admitted, breaking eye contact with Cloud as she stared uncomfortably at her fingernails. "I guess it wasn't really a house, more of a...shack. But I built it myself, out of scrap metal and stuff I found in the Midgar ruins. Just so I could have a little roof over my head and keep the rain out. I stayed there for a little while...until Don Corneo came looking for more kids..." Her voice trailed off as she sighed.

Cloud clenched his jaw angrily at the mention of Don Corneo's name. The more he got to know Tirsa, the more protective he began to feel toward the girl; and the very idea of Corneo's son trying to kidnap Tirsa for his own sick needs...it was enough to make Cloud sick himself. He now understood Reno's blind rage, and haste to go after the man in the first place.

"You don't have to worry about that again, Tirsa," Cloud assured her. "You have a roof over your head now, and heat, and food...and you've got me and your dad too, don't forget."

"This kind of feels like a dream, you know," Tirsa said softly. She'd stuck the end of one of her braids in her mouth and chewed on it nervously. "I just keep thinking something bad is going to happen, and this will all come to an end."

"It won't," Cloud said firmly. "You have no idea how stubborn your father is, too," he added, chuckling. "He is the most loyal person I know, and he would do just about anything for his family, and those he loves." Reno had just walked up and overheard the last part of the conversation, and suddenly felt embarrassed. He coughed quietly to announce his presence, and both Tirsa and Cloud looked up at him.

"Could say the same about you, you know," he said to Cloud with a smile. "This man here went through hell when something happened to me...and we'd only just started dating then too, remember?"

"I remember," Cloud said quietly, recalling Reno's kidnapping by Sephiroth, and the ensuing battle that had nearly cost Reno his life.

"You never told me how you guys met," Tirsa reminded them. She and Cloud both stood up, dusting off their pants. "Did you work together, or something, or meet in school maybe?"

Cloud and Reno laughed at the same time. "Ah, no. Nothing quite so...traditional, for us," Reno said with a snort, as Cloud moved over to the nearby work sink to quickly wash the motor oil from his hands. "We, uh...we were enemies for quite a while actually."

"He tried to kill me," Cloud interjected, toweling off his hands. He rejoined Reno and his daughter, and the three prepared to leave.

"Dad!" Tirsa hissed at Reno, tugging at his sleeve. "You tried to kill Cloud? But…why?" she demanded, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Well, ah…Cloud and I had a bit of bad history before we became friends, I guess," Reno said quietly. "Come on, honey, let's go wait for the bus." Reno groaned slightly as he gimped toward the bus stop alongside Cloud and Tirsa; he wasn't about to admit he was having any pain, though. He knew he was feeling better and would continue to feel better as the day went on; if Reno was stuck in the house for any length of time, he'd begin to go stir crazy, and that wouldn't be good for him, or anyone who lived with him.

They sat on the worn wooden bench at the bus stop, awaiting the arrival of the 10:45 bus to Midgar. Tirsa leaned forward and looked expectantly at Reno, urging him to go on. "Why'd you try to kill Cloud?"

"Well, he tried to kill me, too," Reno replied, groaning as he eased himself back on the bench. "Really, Cloud, I think you started it," he said teasingly to the blond.

"That's debatable," Cloud scoffed. "But anyway...we were kind of enemies, for the longest time. I was with this anti-Shinra group - oh, it's a long story, really. Anyway, Reno and I were on opposite sides for a while. Then...well, after the first time I defeated Sephiroth - "

"After that we kinda became friends," Reno butted in. "Plus, I always had a crush on Cloud, here," he added teasingly.

"Well, you didn't act like it at first," Cloud retorted. "Trying to tase me with your EMR."

"What? I wanted to see if I could make your hair stick up more!" Reno snorted, sticking out his tongue. Tirsa giggled.

Cloud groaned, rolling his eyes at Reno. "That does it," he remarked, as the bus pulled up, and they all got on. "Tonight, you're sleeping on the couch."

After a few hours in the shopping center, Tirsa had herself a new wardrobe, and - with much blushing from her father - was presented with a pair of earplugs. "Just...oh here, take them," he blurted, awkwardly avoiding her gaze. The girl stifled a giggle and pocketed them.

As they disembarked from the city bus, laden with the day's purchases, an odd stench hit Cloud all of a sudden. He wrinkled up his nose, distastefully. "What…is that smell?" he muttered. "Do smell it too, Reno?"

Reno sniffed the air, and nodded. "Yeah. Smells like…sulphur. Weird. Almost like someone's been lighting matches – "

"It's stronger than that," Cloud argued. "It smells like sulfuric acid." He shuddered. "Hojo…used to use that in the labs…I'll never forget that smell," he murmured, a faraway look on his face. Tirsa glanced from Cloud to Reno worriedly.

"Hojo's dead, Cloud," Reno told him firmly. "He can't hurt you anymore. " In an aside to Tirsa, he whispered, "We'll explain another time, kid. It's…a long story. And it's really Cloud's to tell." The girl nodded, feeling a bit confused, as she followed Reno and Cloud back into the apartment.

* * *

><p><em>Monday morning, Turks office<em>

Reno arrived to work early on Monday, which was met with some surprise by his co-workers, given his tendency toward lateness. After hitting up the coffee machine, Reno's next stop was Tseng's office. "Got a moment, sir?" he asked. Tseng's only reply was a silent nod, Reno entered the private office and shut the door.

"So," Reno began, settling into one of the chairs facing Tseng, "About Corneo – "

"It's already being addressed," Tseng replied quickly, cutting Reno off. "I've apprised Rufus of the situation. As you know…normally, Rufus doesn't care to get involved in the affairs of private businessmen."

"Corneo's no businessman," Reno growled. "He's a fucking child predator – "

"Let me finish, Reno. Please?" Reno nodded, and sat back in the chair, sipping his coffee.

"Sorry, sir," he said apologetically. "Go ahead."

"As I was saying, Rufus is now aware of the situation," he continued, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Since you took matters into your own hands the other day, without so much as a word to me, or Rude, or Elena – "

"I know, sir," Reno said soberly. "And I realize, hindsight is twenty-twenty, but…I can see now that I was too impulsive. I should have followed Turk protocol."

"That you should have," Tseng agreed. "However, no real harm done, I suppose, though Corneo _did_ get away. I trust that you are healed from your injuries by now?"

"Pretty much," Reno replied. "So, now that the President knows Corneo's son has resurfaced…does he have a plan of action? Or are we just going to turn our heads again?" He uttered the last remark with a touch of bitterness; as far as Reno could tell, Rufus could go either way with this – either dismiss the entire matter indifferently, or – reopen the cold case on Corneo, and assign the Turks to take him out. Reno fervently hoped it was the latter option that Rufus was considering.

"No, Rufus would like us to proceed in this matter, actually," Tseng remarked. He steepled his fingers under his chin, and gazed thoughtfully at Reno. "I understand how this is personal for you, Reno. Cloud told me...about Corneo's 'interest' in your daughter." The Wutaian's clenched his jaw, holding back his anger; few things drove him to rage quite the way this did, he kept his emotions in check far better than his redheaded second in command did.

But the very thought of this man, Don Corneo's son, involved in child trafficking and pornography…it chilled his blood to think of it, and now that one of his own Turks had a vendetta against the man, Tseng was not about to stop Reno. In fact, Tseng – with Rufus's blessing - was prepared to let the Turks have any of Shinra's resources at their disposal, to take down the bastard.

"The cold case on Corneo's son is officially reopened," Tseng informed Reno quietly. He could see the tension leaving Reno's shoulders, and saw a small smile of gratitude on the man's face. "Rufus has authorized me to use whatever resources we have available; he wants Corneo dead, surely as much as you do, Reno."

"Thank you, sir," Reno said soberly, nodding. "Does…Rufus – does he know about my daughter?"

Tseng shook his head. "I did not tell him, Reno," he said. "Nor have I told Elena, though everyone is well aware that you were injured the other day in your pursuit of Corneo. I figured it was your place to tell the news about Tirsa. Rude already knows about her, through Tifa, obviously. As far as Corneo's involvement, I only told Rufus and the others that he had been in pursuit of a young girl, trying to kidnap her…and to use her for his ill-gotten gains."

Reno nodded, then turned in his chair, as he heard a knock on the door - in came Elena and Rude, both surprised to see Reno already sitting there.

"Partner," Rude said with a smirk. "You're up early."

"Yeah," Reno replied, running his hand through his bangs. "Been a crazy few days for me, as you can well imagine. Hey, Elena," he said, greeting her. "So…Tseng tells me you both know about the deal with Corneo…I guess you're probably wondering why I went looking for him the way I did."

"I've been kind of curious about that, yeah," Elena admitted. "That was a cold case, though…we didn't have enough to go on – "

"It's no longer a cold case, Elena," Tseng advised her. "I've officially reopened the investigation…and Reno has a personal stake in things this time. Reno?" The Director looked to Reno, nodding at him to continue.

"Right," Reno began. He let out a small sigh as he gestured to the two other chairs near Tseng's desk, inviting Elena and Rude to take seats, which they did. "Well…Elena, I probably should have told you about this the other day when I found out, but it knocked me for a loop….to say the least. Rude, I guess you…already know what I'm about to say, I guess Tifa told you?"

The bald Turk nodded, pushing his sunglasses over the bridge of his nose with his index finger. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I already know." Elena looked at him curiously, and made a face; clearly, she didn't like being the only one in the room who didn't know what was going on.

"Elena…I have a daughter," Reno said slowly, looking back and forth between both Turks as he revealed his news. "Her name is Tirsa…and she's twelve years old. I…never even knew she existed until the other day, she came here looking for me."

"You…you're a father, Reno?" Elena blurted, incredulous. She wasn't sure what Reno's news was going to be, but she never would have predicted _this _little bombshell. "Oh my gods! Are you sure she's really yours?"

"We ran a paternity test before Reno was even told," Tseng replied, trying to hide a smirk.

"Yeah, about _that_," Reno said, cutting in. "Might have been nice if I was told the minute she showed up here looking for me…"

"You and Rude were en route back from your mission when she appeared," Tseng replied calmly. "Anyway…what's done is done."

"So…what's she like?" Elena asked, smiling at Reno. She couldn't believe that Reno, of all people, had apparently reproduced. It was shocking enough when Rude had a child with Tifa, but this_? This is something else_, Elena thought with a grin.

Reno grinned. "She's a hell of a kid," he told her. "Been through a hell of a lot, too," he added, frowning. "Her mom died two years ago…she's been on the streets since then. Corneo's been after her, which is why I…kinda went batshit the other day and went after him."

"I understand why you did that," Elena said gently. She then smirked at Reno, and added, "But you realize now why that was a dumb-assed idea, right?" Rude chuckled, smirking at Reno.

"Yeah," Reno replied, rolling his eyes. "Me getting my ass handed to me was a pretty good reminder of why I shouldn't break Turk protocol. Even when I'm not on official Turks business," he added.

"So," Tseng interrupted, addressing the group. "We need a plan. Let's have a brief meeting, go over everything, then we'll gear up and depart in about a half an hour, understood?"

"One more thing we'll be going over," he added. "Along with this objective – the Corneo case – there's another agenda item to cover. There have been some disappearances on the west end of town; some adults, some children….it's been a broad mix of individuals. Only one of the disappeared individuals have been found; and he was catatonic when he was brought in yesterday. Unconscious, seemingly in a comatose state, though there is no evidence of head injury whatsoever, we've run the appropriate tests, CAT scans, MRI's, everything. No evidence of foul play or any significant injury, the man is just non-responsive."

"Weird," Reno interjected, suddenly interested. He wondered briefly if there was a connection with Corneo, though his gut told him this was not likely. "Any other pertinent details, boss?"

"Actually, yes," Tseng replied, suddenly remembering. "Some of our CSI agents from went to several of the sites, where victims were last seen. They reported an unusual concentration of sulphur in the air."

"No fucking way," Reno breathed, locking his gaze with Tseng's. "Sir? Just the other day…Cloud and I notied the same thing, right outside our apartment complex. He said…it reminded him a bit of Hojo…and the sulfuric acid he used to use in the labs."

"Very interesting," Tseng replied, nodding. "It's not much to go on, but right now it's the only common thread we have linking everything. So, our next order of business….we'll go over our plan of attack, for infiltrating Corneo's lair."

"Do we have an actual location, sir?" Rude asked, eager to get started. Being a father himself, he understood Reno's rage toward Corneo, and his need for vengeance. _Had it been my daughter he was after_, Rude thought somberly, _I'd have done the same exact thing. _

"We have a perimeter set up around where we think Corneo might be," Tseng replied, nodding. "We are definitely closing in…I talked to the girl Aylin – " Reno startled at mention of her name, and Tseng smiled at him. "She's fine, Reno, don't worry. She's under Turks protection now, she's a valuable witness. Vincent spoke with her himself, and stayed with her until one of our agents got out there to transport her to a safe house."

"Oh thank gods," Reno said, relieved. "Ya know, she's a good kid – just…has to get out of that life, away from Corneo."

"Now she has a chance to do just that," Tseng replied simply. "Okay then…let's all go over our plan of attack here," the Director continued, walking toward the whiteboard in the back of his office, where he'd drawn a map of the general area near Corneo's suspected location.

* * *

><p>Cloud had a full day of deliveries scheduled, and had no idea what to do with Tirsa; normally, a girl her age would be in school, but she hadn't been registered anywhere yet, of course, having been living on the streets for the past couple of years.<p>

After Reno left for work, Tirsa and Cloud started the day at Seventh heaven, over coffee and donuts, visiting with Tifa before she opened up the restaurant for customers. Baby Ari was in Tifa's arms, and Tirsa had shyly asked if she could hold the infant; she'd never been around a baby that tiny before, and was intrigued. Tifa nodded, smiling, and carefully handed the baby over to Tirsa, who was seated in a booth with Cloud. The young girl smiled at the baby, wrapping an arm around her gingerly as Ari shifted and squirmed slightly.

"When's the last time you were in school, Tirsa?" Tifa asked gently. She was concerned, wondering how Tirsa would assimilate, once she was properly registered for school again.

"Not for a couple of years," Tirsa admitted glumly. She sighed, hugging Ari in her thin, gangly arms. "And before that, I didn't really go when I should – I skipped class a lot."

"Well, I do hope that part will change," Tifa said kindly, a smile on her face. She was starting to like Tirsa, but was well aware of the girl's unfortunate upbringing, not to mention - her rough start with Reno and Cloud.

"I hope so too," Tirsa said sadly. "I just…I don't know how I'll be in school. I don't know how to act around the other kids – and I'm just afraid I'll be really stupid."

"_You_ are not stupid, Tirsa," Cloud said firmly. "I understand your fears, I really do. But you are one of the smartest kids I know. No, don't look at me like that. It takes some kind of smarts to survive on the streets, doesn't it?" Tirsa nodded, feeling as if she was near tears. She knew if she tried to speak, the tears would start for sure, and might not be able to stop.

"And she built yourself a little place to live, too," Cloud told Tifa, a glimmer of pride in his expression. "A little house, as you said, isn't that right, Tirsa?"

"I guess so," she mumbled, sniffling. "Can we please not talk about this right now? I don't want to remember. I want to forget where I came from, and forget that my mother was – a _whore_." She choked on the last word, and sobbed brokenly, tears falling on Ari's baby blanket. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, handing the baby over to Tifa.

"Shh, it's okay, honey," Tifa said soothingly, taking the baby from the girl. She cradled the baby in one arm, and threw the other arm around Tirsa in a quick hug, kissing her forehead. "You've been through so much for someone so young. But Cloud is a good man…and Reno, he loves his family. They'll both be there for you Tirsa, don't ever doubt that."

"You're so nice to me, Tifa…I almost wish _you_ were my mother!" Tirsa burst out, sobbing. She laid her head on the table, chest heaving as she let everything out. "I miss my mother…oh gods, I was so ashamed of who she was and what she did, but…I miss her! I would give up anything just…just to see her again…"

Cloud looked helplessly at Tifa, shrugging his shoulders as if to say, _what should I do?_ He certainly had no idea how to go about comforting the girl_. Wish Reno was here,_ Cloud thought. _Although he probably wouldn't know what to do either. _

Tifa excused herself, getting up from the booth to let her babysitter into the restaurant before they opened for business; the woman would be watching baby Ari all day while both Tifa and Rude worked. Cloud slid into the seat next to Tirsa, putting an arm around her.

"It'll be okay," he said quietly, not even sure if he was telling the truth, but what else could he tell the girl to calm her down? "Listen. Why don't you come with me on my deliveries today? I mean…technically, you should be in school, but you're not signed up yet, so…"

"Will I get to ride your bike?" Tirsa squeaked hopefully. Cloud nodded. "Yeah, well….Reno has the car, and I normally use Fenrir for deliveries anyway. You'll have to ride in front of me…and remember what your dad said, you have to wear a helmet."

"I will," Tirsa promised, nodding. "This is going to be _so cool_!"

"I think it'd be a good idea if you talk with Denzel and Marlene later on," Cloud said seriously. "I wanted to introduce you to both of them anyway. They've both lost their parents, so maybe….maybe it'd help to talk to them, I don't know." He paused, scratching his head.

"That's so sad, though," Tirsa said, sniffling. "That they're both orphans. I guess…I guess I'm lucky that I have my dad at least, huh?"

"Yeah," Cloud replied, nodding. He smiled at Tirsa. "You _are_ lucky. But you know what, so are we. I'm glad you're a part of our family now, Tirsa."

"What about your parents, Cloud?" Tirsa asked hesitantly. She wasn't exactly sure what prompted the question, but part of her began to wonder what Cloud's childhood was like. Tirsa knew a bit about Reno's childhood, that he was a street kid, from what he told her.

"They're gone," Cloud said flatly, sighing. "I grew up in Nibelheim," he continued. "Long way from here. Anyway…my father died when I was very young. I barely remember him, really. My mother…." Cloud paused, a sad, faraway look in his eyes as he thought back to that fateful day in Nibelheim. _I can still smell the smoke…feel the heat of the flames…hear the screams…_

Cloud cleared his throat and came out of his thoughts. "My mother died when I was a teenager," he finished. "I miss her, even now….so I really do understand what you're going through, Tirsa. The hurt will never go away completely…but you may learn to deal with it better, in time."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Cloud," Tirsa whispered. "And your dad. I just….I feel alone without my mom."

"I know, Tirsa. Nobody can ever replace your mom," he said sympathetically. "And I'm not about to try. But Reno's a good man…I know he'll try to do his best, to be a good father."

"He's doing okay so far, I guess," Tirsa said with a small smile. "So," she said brightly. "Should we get going? Where are we going first?"

"We have a delivery to make to Kalm," Cloud told her, standing up from the booth. "Ever been there?"

"Nope!" she replied cheerfully. This would be nice, getting outside the confines of Edge and Midgar – Tirsa had never been outside the city limits. She was looking forward to seeing more of the world, and was starting to feel excited about tagging along with Cloud for his day of deliveries.

"I think you'll like it," Cloud said, smiling. He brought their coffee mugs and breakfast plates up to the bar, and with a wave to Tifa, left the restaurant with Tirsa.

"But what I think you'll like best," Cloud told Tirsa, as they headed back to where Fenrir was parked, "is how free you'll feel on the open road…there's nothing like it in the whole world."

* * *

><p>The Turks hatched a plan, and headed up to Weapons to gear up before heading out. "Seems you've healed well from your injuries, Reno," Tseng observed. "Let's hope you don't get any new ones."<p>

"If I do, it's part of the job, yo," Reno replied with a smirk, shoving a bunch of hand grenades into a messenger bag.

"Of course," Tseng replied dryly. "I know how you are, though, Reno. Technically, I shouldn't even have you on this case, since you have a personal vendetta against Corneo. That may help us, though."

"Any decent father would want that fucker dead," Rude growled. He pumped the barrel of his shotgun, and nodded at Reno. "With you all the way, partner."

"Yeah," Elena added quietly. "I think we all have a personal stake in this…to rid the planet of someone who preys upon children."

"Fucking A. Well said, all of you," Reno replied, nodding at the other Turks, and feeling extremely grateful for their support. "Let's roll, yo." They headed down to the basement garage, to the Shinra fleet of official vehicles; Tseng selected a large military assault vehicle, and quickly climbed into the driver's seat. Everyone stashed their weapons in the back; then, Reno took the shotgun seat, Elena sat behind Tseng, and Rude took the seat behind Reno.

"Tseng," Reno said, addressing his superior. "Did we really need to requisition a fucking tank?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yes," Tseng replied coolly, slamming the transmission into reverse, then first gear, as he peeled out of the garage, the force of the vehicle taking off throwing the occupants back in their seats. Tseng grinned. "Yes, I do believe it was necessary," he said quietly, chuckling, shifting through gears, and driving like a bat out of hell.

"Crazy fucking Wutaian drivers," Reno muttered, smirking as he fastened his seatbelt.

* * *

><p>Thanks in large part to the statement Aylin gave to the Turks, the four closed in upon Corneo's brothel fairly quickly. Tseng and Rude carved a path through Corneo's henchmen; Rude, with his pump-action shotgun, blew the heads off of three men in a row. Normally, the bald Turk kept his emotions in check, but this…this was different. Any time he thought of his partner's daughter, running in fear from this monster, not wanting to become one of his whores – Rude's hackles were raised. Sure, maybe he was fuelling Reno's personal vendetta against the man, but that was fine, in Rude's opinion – justice was going to be served.<p>

"Boss," Rude murmured, trying to draw Tseng's attention. "If we can possibly do so….I think we should let Reno have the final kill."

"That was what I'd intended from the beginning, Rude," Tseng replied, nodding. "Of course, if things go otherwise – if Corneo strikes first, we shoot to kill."

"Understood," Rude replied, nodding. Elena brought up the rear, her sidearm still drawn. Reno came up alongside her, a wearied yet determined look in his eye. He caught Rude's gaze, and saw the understanding in his partner's eyes. _Rude gets it_, Reno thought. _He knows why this is important to me._

"Hey, partner," Reno said, nodding at Rude. "Never told you this before, but you're a damned good father."

Rude shouldered his shotgun, and grinned down at his partner. "So are you, Reno," he replied.

Reno chuckled, and clappped Rude on the back. "Thanks, man," he said gratefully. "That means a lot, coming from my best friend. But I've only been a father for like..two days!" he said, smirking.

"Hmpf," Rude snorted. "You're more of a father than some people who've been at it a lot longer than you have. So...you ready to grease this son of a bitch?"

"Absolutely," Reno said, inserting another clip into his duty weapon. "Ready to blow that fucker to Cactuar Island. Let's go in." Rude and Tseng took point, leading the group toward Corneo's private office, located behind the brothel itself, cleverly hidden in an abandoned warehouse. "Not his usual decor, I would imagine," Elena observed, stepping over piles of broken equipment.

"He's kept himself well concealed, I must give him credit for that," Tseng remarked. "Unlike his father's more...ostentatious tastes, the younger Don has kept things simple, which has helped him to blend in with the surrounding area."

"Well, we've got him now," Reno muttered. He held his EMR in his left hand, the wrist strap secured, while he held his handgun in his right hand.

"Reno," Tseng commanded, "you and Elena come in from the rear entrance, we'll distract him by coming in through his front door. Rendezvous there." Elena and Reno nodded, and left the area, quietly going around the perimeter of the building to the back entrance. They proceeded forward, down a long, narrow corridor, toward the area where Corneo's office was; Reno could see a thin sliver of light emenating from the bottom of the office door. He took a deep breath, cocking the hammer of the gun back; this was it.

"Laney, on my go, flanking position," Reno whispered. Elena nodded in acknowledgement, listening hard to see if she could hear Tseng and Rude coming in from the front; that moment would be when she and Reno would make their move.

Reno sucked in his breath as he heard shots fired, the adrenanline rushed through him as he proceeded. _It's go time._ "Elena, now!" he hissed, kicking in the back door. Tseng was standing over Corneo, who was lying on the floor behind his desk, moaning - the office chair he'd been sitting in had been overturned in his haste to get up and flee, but Tseng's bullet to the man's knee put an abrupt end to the escape attempt. The son of Don Corneo was a taller, slimmer version of his father, but Reno noted his features were similar to that of the old man's, the beady eyes, piggish looking mouth, slack-jawed, stupid grin.

"Nice work, sir," Reno said in a low murmur, stepping past him as he moved toward Corneo. "At least you stopped him from running, now."

"He's all yours, Reno," Tseng said, in a deadly quiet voice.

Corneo gasped in pain as Reno ground his heel down into the man's wounded knee. "Fuck!" he muttered, clenching his teeth. "You know...back in the day, when my dad was in charge, you damned Turks just looked the other way. Until Da-Chao..." He stared up at Reno defiantly, as recognition set in.

"You," he murmured. "You were the one - you and the bald one there, who killed my father."

"He fucked with one of my Turks," Reno muttered, glancing over at Elena. "One of my family. You gotta understand, my family...my Turks...I will defend them to the death. If anyone hurts them, I will avenge them." He removed his foot from Corneo's knee, and stepped back, staring down at the man, still helplessly on the floor.

"You see," Reno continued, "your father was a perverted asshole, just like you. Apple didn't fall far from the tree there. And just like your father, you picked the wrong person to fuck with."

"The hell you talking about, _Turk_?" Corneo said with a sneer. Reno could tell the man was scared though, despite his brave demeanor. It wouldn't be long now.

"You...and your sick fascination with little _girls_," Reno said, practically spitting out the last word. "How dare you...go after my _daughter_."

"_You_ have a daughter?" Corneo said, laughing through groans of pain. "Oh, that' s a good one. Had me going for a minute there." He laughed stupidly, then began spluttering and coughing.

"Yeah, I do have a daughter," Reno replied calmly. "Her name is Tirsa."

"Oh, Tirsa!" Corneo said excitedly. "I know her. Saucy little redhead. Just like her slutty mother - "

"Shut up!" Reno yelled, stomping on Corneo's gun-shot knee. Corneo screamed in pain, writhing on the floor.

"Just kill me already, if you're going to kill me," Corneo said, his voice flat.

"Oh, I will," Reno told him, grinning. "Have no fear about that, I _will_. Just want to give you the opportunity to answer a few questions...just like your scumbag father did before he died."

"I ain't telling you nothing about my business," Corneo snapped.

Reno laughed, but did not smile. "Tell him, boss," he said to Tseng.

"Your 'business' has been dissolved, Mr. Corneo," Tseng informed him. "I've taken the liberty of informing all of the women and girls on the premises that they are free to go. There was practically a stampede, as soon as I made my announcement...as if they couldn't get out of here fast enough."

"You got a lot of fucking nerve," Corneo snapped. "They're just _whores, _investments, if you will. Who the hell cares, anyway? Gods, when old man Shinra was in charge, my father didn't answer to no one."

"Just an FYI," Rude said quietly. "Rufus is president now. Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget," Corneo muttered, shifting uncomfortably on the floor. "Gods, this fucking hurts...just put me out of my misery, will ya?"

"Oh, it's going to get worse before it gets better, man," Reno said, chuckling. "Now, Rude...where was I? Didn't I have a question to ask this moron?"

"You did," Rude replied, nodding. "So get to it, Reno."

"Right, right," Reno said, waving his handgun around distractedly. "Okay then. This is multiple choice, so pay attention! Now...why do you think we went to all this trouble, reopening the case against you and tracking you down to the fucking armpit of Edge? Was it...A - because we were ready to die? B - Because we were sure of victory? Or...C - because we were clueless?"

"The last one," Corneo said, gasping from pain. "Clueless."

"Wrong," Reno replied coolly, shooting out Corneo's other knee. The man screamed in agony. Reno stood over him, his face completely expressionless. "Told you this was about to get a hell of a lot worse."

"No," Reno continued. "The correct answer was..._because it's our job_. And as an added bonus, you went and fucked with the kid of a Turk. Too bad for you." Reno aimed his gun down at Corneo's crotch and fired...repeatedly.

"No..." Corneo's voice came out in a sick gurgle as the life bled out of him. Reno kept firing, until the clip was emptied.

"Reno..." Elena said softly, putting a hand on his arm. "Reno...he's dead."

"Yeah," Reno replied, snapping out of his trance, sounding tired. "Well," he continued, glancing up at the other Turks. "Mission accomplished, right?"

"Next stop, Seventh Heaven," Reno said as they were leaving. "First round of drinks - I'm buying."

"That sounds good, Reno," Tseng said quietly, placing a hand on Reno's back in a gesture of support. "That sounds really good."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The sulfur smell that Reno and Cloud noted...will be explained in a later chapter. :)**


	7. What If This Storm Ends?

**Warnings for this chapter: Lemon, and a bit of a forceful one at that. Not non-con though. And of course, rated R for Reno and his mouth!**

* * *

><p><em>The perfect halo<br>Of gold hair and lightning  
>Sets you off against<br>The planet's last dance_

_Just for a minute_  
><em>The silver forked sky<em>  
><em>Lit you up like a star<em>  
><em>That I will follow<em>

_Now it's found us_  
><em>Like I have found you<em>  
><em>I don't want to run<em>  
><em>Just overwhelm me<em>

_What if this storm ends?_  
><em>And leaves us nothing<em>  
><em>Except a memory<em>  
><em>A distant echo<em>

_I want pinned down_  
><em>I want unsettled<em>  
><em>Rattle cage after cage<em>  
><em>Until my blood boils<em>

**What If This Storm Ends? – Snow Patrol**

* * *

><p>Cloud delivered packages around Edge proper first – with Tirsa helping him, and then they took off to Kalm. Even with the helmet on, Tirsa thought about how right Cloud was, when he'd said that the best part of riding on the open road was the feeling of freedom. She'd never experienced anything like it before, and couldn't stop grinning once they'd reached Kalm.<p>

Tirsa was initially nervous when she first got on Fenrir, until Cloud told her she'd be riding in front of him; he didn't want to chance her flying off of the back. "Also, don't forget this," he'd told her, dangling the motorcycle helmet in front of her. With minimal grumbling, Tirsa had taken it and put it on. It did flatten her hair a bit, but a small amount of helmet head was worth it in the end, she figured.

By the time they got to Kalm, Tirsa almost felt high from the adrenaline rush. Cloud made certain he wasn't going _too_ fast, but he did speed up Fenrir a few times here and there where the road was flat, showing off a bit.

Cloud parked the bike outside the town pub and grill in Kalm where he usually parked his bike, and they set off to deliver the remainder of the packages to various businesses in Kalm. When they were done, and all packages were paid and signed for, Cloud waved Tirsa over to follow him into the pub.

"Come on," he said, leading the girl inside. "We'll grab a couple of sodas, then head back home. You thirsty? They make a good cream soda here."

"Yeah, I am," she said, nodding. "Cream soda sounds good, too."

"Good," Cloud replied, smiling. They took a seat at the bar, and Cloud ordered the drinks for them. As Tirsa's legs dangled from the barstool, not touching the floor, he realized again how small the girl was, how young. It made that protective feeling he had toward her flare up again. Yes, Cloud would do whatever he could for this girl, to keep her safe – and happy. He only hoped her habit of stealing was something she'd leave behind, along with her unhappy childhood.

Tirsa sipped her soda quickly through the straw, finishing before Cloud did, and let out an audible burp. "S'cuse me!" she said sheepishly, giggling. "That was really good. I drank it too fast, though."

"I noticed that," Cloud said dryly, sipping his soda much more slowly. "So, I figure we'll head back home after this, meet up with your dad - " Before Cloud could even finish the sentence, his cell phone trilled and vibrated, where it was set on the bar. He glanced at the caller ID and grinned. "Speak of the devil, it's Reno."

"Hey," Cloud said into the phone. "I was just talking about you - "

"So fucking good to hear your voice, babe," Reno said, cutting him off. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt...just been a long day, man."

"How'd the mission go?" Cloud asked hesitantly. Reno sounded odd, and Cloud wasn't sure whether that meant Corneo had given them the slip, or, if something else had happened.

"Mission was a success," Reno said, sounding detached. "He's gone. I took care of it myself."

"Good," Cloud said, relieved. "Good work. Now I'll be able to sleep better...knowing he's not out there anymore."

"Yeah," Reno said, sighing. "Me too. Anyway, where the hell are you? I called home, thinking you might have got off early...Tirsa with you?"

"She is," Cloud confirmed. "We're in Kalm, I had a few deliveries here...we just stopped for a soda before heading back home."

A smile finally crossed Reno's haggard face, upon hearing that Tirsa had spent the day with Cloud; when Reno had left for work that morning, he had thought that Tirsa would be staying with Tifa, and helping her out, while Cloud did his deliveries.

"So she finally got to ride Fenrir, eh?" Reno said excitedly. "How did she like it?"

"She _loved_ it," Cloud replied, grinning. "Of course she did!" He glanced over at Tirsa, who had just finished her soda, and smiled at her.

"Can I talk to her?" Reno asked nervously. He wasn't about to tell Tirsa exactly what he'd done to Corneo, but he wanted to reassure the girl that she wouldn't have to worry anymore. There was no need to go into graphic detail, she was far too young to hear any of that. _She's far too young to have gone through all the shit she's gone through already_, _really_, Reno thought grimly.

"Sure, she's right here, hold on," Cloud replied. "Tirsa?" he said, handing the phone to her. "Reno wants to talk to you." She nodded, and took the phone from Cloud.

"Hi Reno," Tirsa said into the phone. She flinched, still not sure whether she should be calling him Reno, or dad; and so she kept going back and forth between the two names. "Uh, hi...dad," she mumbled, correcting herself.

"Hey, Tirsa," Reno said into the phone. He leaned back in the passenger seat of the assault vehicle, as Tseng headed back toward Headquarters. From there, they'd be heading to Seventh Heaven on foot. "So how was your day, Cloud said you guys went to Kalm?"

"Yeah!" Tirsa replied enthusiastically. "I got to ride on Fenrir, too! And I want to get my motorcycle license."

Reno laughed. "That's nice...I'm glad you had a good day," he said, still chuckling. "Um, we'll discuss this license stuff when I get home, maybe. You have a couple years to go until you're old enough for just a learner's permit, you know."

"That's okay," Tirsa said dismissively. "I told you, I _already_ know how to drive a car." She grinned over at Cloud, who raised an eyebrow curiously. _What on Gaia is she up to now_? he wondered.

"Okay, Tirsa," Reno said, amused. "Can you put Cloud back on?"

"Okay, bye! Here he is," Tirsa said, handing the phone back to Cloud.

"Hey," Cloud said. "So, we're taking off from Kalm in a few minutes - meet you at home?"

"Actually, we're heading directly to Seventh Heaven," Reno told him. "Need a drink - or several - after today. I just feel...weird, babe. You'd think I'd be happy that I killed the motherfucker, and I am - I just feel...a bit off. I need to talk to you."

"All right," Cloud said, worrying a bit at Reno's last remark. He wondered what had caused Reno to sound so stressed out. "We'll do that...meet you at Tifa's. I want Tirsa to meet Denzel and Marlene, anyway."

"Sounds good, yo," Reno replied. "Grab dinner while we're there, too. See you there." As Reno hung up, he realized that Rude was talking to someone on his phone, and was just ending the call.

"Sir?" Rude said, addressing Tseng. "That was the President...says he will be meeting us for drinks tonight and buying dinner, he has...something he'd like to give to Tifa, oddly enough." Rude sounded as puzzled as everyone else felt.

"Very well," Tseng replied, musing. "Something for Tifa...a gift for the baby, perhaps?"

"Maybe," Rude said, shrugging his shoulders. "He didn't exactly say."

"How sweet," Elena said, giggling. "I'm just trying to picture the President picking out baby stuff..."

"Somehow," Tseng said dryly, "I doubt it's a baby gift, but I could be wrong. Well...here we are," he commented, as they entered the Shinra basement parking level, parking the requisitioned vehicle.

* * *

><p>It took about an hour for Cloud and Tirsa to ride from Kalm to Edge, and they made it back just before the sun set. Tirsa lifted the visor of her helmet so she could see the spectacle a bit better. "So pretty," she murmured happily, a grin permanently plastered on her face the entire time she was seated on the bike. Once they arrived back in Edge, at Seventh Heaven, Tirsa got off the bike very reluctantly. She wished she could ride for just a bit longer.<p>

Reno and the other Turks had already taken up a large corner booth in the restaurant; the minute he saw Cloud enter, Reno waved him over. He was already on his second whiskey, and looked exhausted, as if he'd been hit by a truck.

"Rough day, huh?" Cloud said, sliding in the booth next to Reno, planting a quick kiss. He was surprised to see none other than Rufus Shinra sitting with the Turks as well. Cloud couldn't help it, he would always remain suspicious of Rufus no matter what, and he felt his guard go up at the sight of the man.

"Yeah, rough day," Reno replied, his eyes uncharacteristically sad and tired. "Hey, Tirsa," he said, smiling at the sight of his daughter. "You hungry? We're just going to order something. Got a few people here I want you to meet, too."

"Yeah, I am actually hungry," Tirsa murmured, suddenly struck shy by all the eyes upon her. She'd met Tseng of course, and knew who Rude was, but hadn't met either Elena or Rufus yet.

"Here's a menu, honey," Reno said quietly, passing it over. "Tirsa? I want you to meet Elena - she's sitting over there, she's a Turk like me. I used to bust her chops for being the rookie." He grinned cheekily at the blond Turk, winking at her.

Elena rolled her eyes at Reno, but smiled at Tirsa. "I thought we were over that rookie crap?" she cracked. "It's nice to meet you, Tirsa. Your dad's been talking about you all day."

"He has?" Tirsa said curiously. _I wonder what he's telling them about me..._

"Yes, he has," Elena replied, nodding and smiling. "And he told me he is very proud of you, you're a strong, beautiful girl...I see that he was right about that."

"Oh," Tirsa murmured, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She blushed nearly as red as her hair as she smiled shyly at Elena. "That...that was nice, dad." Reno was indeed beaming with pride, over this child of his that he'd only just gotten to know. _Feels like I knew her before we even met...strange as that sounds._

"Tirsa, this over here," Reno continued, pointing, "is president Rufus Shinra. Over there, the bald guy - well, you've met Rude, right? And I know you already know Tseng. My Turk family."

"It's nice to meet you all," Tirsa said, smiling. She felt in awe of the president, clad in his all-white suit, he looked almost regal and out of place in Seventh Heaven.

"It's nice to meet you finally, Tirsa," Rufus told her, a small smile on his face. "Gods, you look so much like your father..." His voice trailed off, as did his thoughts, as his mind wandered briefly. Moments later, Rufus came out of his reverie, and cleared his throat.

"Well, you're probably all wondering why I decided to call everyone here," Rufus addressed the table. "First - dinner's on me tonight, my Turks did a splendid job today in completing their mission." Reno gave Cloud a hollow look and that same sad, strange smile he'd had all evening. Cloud was beginning to worry; Reno was being sociable, but he still wasn't quite _himself_.

"I have a few gifts here," Rufus continued, pulling four folders out of a briefcase, "for the children." Everyone at the table exchanged confused glances at each other, nobody, not even Tseng, had any idea what the president was up to.

"Here we are," Rufus murmured, thumbing through the folders. "This one's for Ari," he said, handing that folder to Rude; "one for Denzel, one for Marlene, and one for Tirsa." He passed the last three folders down toward Cloud and Reno.

"What is this...about, sir?" Rude inquired, confused.

"They're trust funds that I've established for each child," Rufus said coolly, raising an eyebrow. "Each parent is the executor of their child's fund, use it as you need, for educational expenses and otherwise. The financial details are inside each portfolio."

Reno thumbed open the folders, as Cloud looked over his shoulder. Two million gil...for each child. Cloud was astounded to start, then suspicious. _What is Rufus up to? _He hated to think that way, but the man rarely gave something away, without wanting something in return. _And he already has Reno, Cloud thought, frowning. He's not getting **me**, if he thinks I'll be indebted to him._

"That's very generous, Rufus," Cloud murmured, studying the man's impassive face. "What brought this on?" Cloud ignored Reno's unceremonious elbowing of his ribs.

"I wanted to show my Turks how much I appreciate them," Rufus replied simply. "And Cloud...those children are in your care, and you know I am indebted to you as well. You've rid the planet of Sephiroth...and believe me, this is a thank-you that is long overdue."

"Well, ah...it wasn't necessary," Cloud said, a bit gruffly, "but thank you. I just did what I had to do." He blinked, trying to rid his mind of the image on that horrible day; Sephiroth running Reno through with masamune, nearly killing him, then Cloud's decapitation of Sephiroth, using the buster sword and the fusion sword.

"I did what I had to do," Cloud repeated robotically, his eyes staring at nothing. "Babe," Reno whispered, nudging him. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Cloud said softly, finally snapping out of his trance. "Yeah, I'm fine, sorry. Just…remembered something. I'm fine," he insisted. Reno was giving him that eye, the look that said, _I know you're not okay, I know you're lying._

But now was not the time to bring that up. Cloud still carried scars, both physical, and some that were unseen. Those scars that he still felt on the inside were the ones he'd tried his damnedest to hide from everyone…but Reno knew better. Want to talk to him, alone, Reno thought worriedly. Funny, I was going to vent to him about my weird little day, but now…I think he might need me as much as I need him.

"Hey dad," Tirsa said to Reno, as she still perused the menu. "What's good here for burgers?" she asked. "There's a bunch of different kinds," she noted, wrinkling up her nose.

"_All_ of them, yo," Reno replied, grinning. Cloud smiled too, nodding in agreement. "They really are… Tifa's like, the best cook around."

"Tifa is also off for the evening," the barmaid remarked coolly, sliding into the booth and taking a seat next to Rude. She gave him a kiss and whispered, "Baby's upstairs, sleeping." Tifa set the baby monitor down on the table, then she paused, looking at the documents on the table. "What's all this?" she asked Rude.

"Ah...the president has set up trust funds," Rude explained. "For Ari…and for Denzel, Marlene, and Tirsa." Tifa blinked, studying Rufus intently.

"Wow," she finally said. "That's certainly very generous, Mr. Shinra. But _why_?"

Cloud hid a grin_. Way to cut to the chase, _Tifa, he thought.

Rufus cleared his throat, and stared at Tifa, a cool half-smile on his face. He had the air of one who was bored, aloof. "Well, Ms. Lockhart…my family owes the Planet a great deal, for what we inflicted upon it. Investing in the future seems a wise choice. It is something I wished to do, nothing more…nothing less."

"O-o-kay…." Tifa said hesitantly, frowning. "Excuse me for saying so, but I can't help but feel like there's some sort of catch."

Rufus laughed. "Of course you would think that," he said, still chuckling. "And I cannot blame you for thinking that. We did not exactly have the best relationship in the past, though I would like to think that now, at the very least…we are no longer enemies."

"No," Tifa replied coolly. "We're not. Unless you do something to change that, Mr. President," she said, folding her arms across her chest. Tirsa stared at her in stunned admiration. This woman was telling off the _President_, of all people? The young girl tried to hide a grin as she observed Rufus squirming.

"I don't plan on doing anything of the kind, Ms. Lockhart," Rufus concluded, standing up from the table. "I…think I shall head back now. Please enjoy your dinners. Tseng? If you would drive me back to my penthouse, please…"

"Of course, sir," Tseng replied, nodding as he and Rufus stood up from their chairs.

"I think I'll be calling it a night, too," Elena murmured, glancing at Tseng as she followed suit. "I'll come with you as well."

"All right," Tseng said, smiling at Elena. As they left, he turned to everyone and said, "Nice job today, everyone. See you all in the office tomorrow."

"Night, boss," Reno called, waving to his superior. After they'd left, one of Tifa's servers came by and took everyone's food and drink orders, and quickly returned with the round of beverages.

"What'd you do at work today?" Tirsa asked innocently. Reno sighed, and exchanged a glance with Cloud.

"It was...a successful mission," Reno replied vaguely. "But that's all I'm gonna say. The details are not anything for children to be hearing."

"I'm not a child," Tirsa retorted, glaring at Reno. "Don't treat me like one."

"Tirsa - " Reno began, but was interrupted as Denzel and Marlene came to the table.

"Hey guys!" Tifa greeted them. "Done with homework?"

"I am," Marlene replied, smiling. "Denzel isn't, though."

"Tattle-tale," Denzel muttered.

"Am _not_," Marlene retorted, sticking out her tongue.

"Hey, quit fighting and come over here," Cloud said, smirking. "I want to introduce you...Denzel, Marlene, this is Tirsa. Reno's daughter."

"Hey, I didn't know Reno had a daughter," Denzel piped up, grinning. "Hi, Tirsa...nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Tirsa replied. "Yeah, I didn't meet Reno until just the other day."

"Wow," Denzel said, grinning. "So that means Cloud is your stepfather now!"

"I, uh...guess so?" Tirsa said nervously, looking to Reno and Cloud. Tirsa was thankful that the food arrived at that moment, to distract everyone from Denzel's awkward comment. She'd thought about the topic herself earlier that day, as she accompanied Cloud on his deliveries, thinking how nice it would be to have _two_ dads. But she didn't dare bring up the topic so soon; things felt too good to be true, and Tirsa didn't want to ruin it.

_Something bad will happen, something always does,_ she fretted. Tirsa jumped suddenly, as she realized that Marlene was talking to her.

"What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," Tirsa said.

"I said, I like your hair," Marlene told her, smiling up at the girl. She'd taken a seat next to her, while Denzel sat to Marlene's right.

"Oh, thanks," Tirsa replied, casually twirling the braids in her hair around her index finger. "I might do my whole head, not sure."

"Can you do my hair like that?" Marlene asked excitedly.

"Sure," Tirsa replied, sipping her soda. "Maybe after we eat?" she said with a smile.

"Okay, deal!" Marlene replied, grinning. "Denzel and I already ate, though."

As the food arrived, Denzel kept stealing fries from Cloud's plate, and the swordsman smirked at the boy, pulling the plate away. "Get your own!"

"I had my own," Denzel whined. "But I'm still hungry! I'm a growing boy, you know," he proclaimed. Marlene rolled her eyes.

"You eat like a pig," she muttered. "Soon you will be all rolly-polly."

"Will not," Denzel shot back.

"Will _too_!" Marlene retorted.

"Will you two quit fighting!" Tifa snapped, sighing. "Honestly. Nice impression you're making on Tirsa."

"She doesn't mind, do you Tirsa?" Denzel asked. "Look Tifa, see? She's laughing." Tirsa was indeed giggling over Denzel and Marlene squabbling. _They're just so ridiculous_, she thought, grinning. _I guess that's what it's like...to be part of a family._ A sad look suddenly came over Tirsa's face, she slowly bit into her burger and chewed without tasting.

"You okay?" Marlene whispered, leaning in closer to Tirsa.

"Yeah," Tirsa replied, attempting a small smile. "I'm fine. I'm almost done eating, if you want me to do your hair?"

"Oh yeah!" Marlene nodded enthusiastically. "Tifa, I'm going to show Tirsa around, okay?"

"That's fine, Marlene," Tifa replied.

"Me too," Denzel added, butting in. "I'll show her the upstairs!"

Tifa smiled after the kids as they left, but her expression turned serious as she looked to Reno and Cloud. "Well, I don't know what Rufus Shinra is up to," she declared. "But I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, either."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Cloud remarked dryly. "I can't exactly afford to send three kids to school on my salary."

"Rude told me what happened today," Tifa said gently, giving Reno a sympathetic look. "It must have been a rough day."

"It was," Reno nodded. "Well - don't get me wrong, I did what I had to do. And ya know, usually...I can remain detached when I'm doing a job. I was with this job, to a point...but man. I _enjoyed_ killing Corneo. I don't mean I enjoyed delivering justice, I actually enjoyed taking this man's life and watching him bleed to death."

All at the table were silent, Rude nodding sympathetically. Nobody spoke until Reno went on. "I ain't a monster - "

"No, you're not," Cloud interrupted. "Like you said, you did what you had to do, right? Listen. I fucking decapitated Sephiroth. And I enjoyed doing _that_."

"Revenge does funny things to a man," Reno quipped, sighing. "Well...sorry to be a fucking downer, here," he said, smirking a bit.

"It's all right," Tifa said, nodding. She paused a moment, then said, "I'd better go check on the kids...I'll be right back. Looks like the restaurant is running fine without me, too," she observed as she glanced around, smiling.

"You okay, Rude?" Reno asked softly.

"Yeah," Rude replied. "I'm fine. We did the right thing, Reno."

"Well, it was our job," Reno replied. "But I like to think we did the world a favor, too, ya know?" He leaned brokenly into Cloud, allowing himself to be comforted; it was a rare thing for Reno to do, to permit this - never mind out in public, as they were.

A few moments later, Tifa came back downstairs, followed by Tirsa. "Tirsa would like to ask you something, Reno," Tifa said with a grin.

"Yeah, what is it?" Reno said, sitting up and looking at Tirsa expectantly.

"Well, Marlene invited me to sleep over tonight," Tirsa murmured, looking over at Tifa. "And Tifa said it was okay, so...can I?"

Reno chuckled, and tried not to react as he felt Cloud's hand ghost along his inner thigh, underneath the table. _Yeah, it's definitely okay. _Aloud, he said, "Uh, yeah...that's fine, but you don't have any clothes and stuff, do you?"

"She can borrow something of mine just for tonight," Tifa offered. "Stuff might be a little big on you, but we can manage."

"Well, I guess we'll get going, then, if you're staying here," Reno said as he stood up from his chair, Cloud following suit.

"G'night, Tirsa," Reno murmured, giving his daughter a hug. The girl tightened her painfully thin arms around Reno, hugging him tightly.

"Good night!" she chirped. "I wanna hug Cloud, too," Tirsa added, smiling shyly. She hugged the swordsman and said, "Thanks for taking me on your bike, Cloud...it was the best day ever."

"No problem," Cloud murmured, smiling. "I had fun too. We'll do that again, another day...but tomorrow I'm going to take you and get you registered for school," he said firmly.

"Aww!" Tirsa groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Yeah," Reno replied, smirking. "Mama Cloud said so, so that means yes."

"Mama Cloud?" Cloud repeated, rolling his eyes at Reno. "Is that necessary?"

"Well...I don't know!" Reno replied, giggling. "What do you want Tirsa to call you?"

"Anything but that," Cloud said dryly. "I don't know, how about..._Cloud_?"

"No, that's not very original," Tirsa said, shaking her head.

"But it's my _name_," Cloud pointed out, chuckling.

"I know _that_," Tirsa said, sniffing. "Oh, I'll think of something! Good night...I'll see everyone tomorrow!" With that, Tirsa waved, and ran back up the stairs to rejoin Marlene.

"Oh, good," Rude murmured, smirking. "Now Denzel and I are outnumbered by the females in the household."

"You usually are anyway, Rude," Reno noted, snorting. "Dude, can't you count?"

"Oh yeah," Rude replied, chuckling. "I suppose I am."

"Thank you, Tifa," Cloud said sincerely. "She seems to be fitting in well...so far. I was worried there for a bit."

"So was I, after that scene with Yuffie the other day," Tifa added, sighing. "Anyway. Marlene seems to like Tirsa, it's like having an older sister for her."

"Good," Cloud replied. "Listen, if there are any issues, you call us right away."

"Don't worry," Tifa said with a snort, "I will."

"We'll pick her up in the morning, Tifa," Reno told her, "and Cloud'll take her to the school department."

"Sounds good," Tifa said, waving them out the door. "See you then."

* * *

><p>Cloud was more pent-up and sexually frustrated than he'd ever remembered, during the short walk home from Seventh Heaven. When they were nearly there, about a block away, Cloud suddenly stopped in his tracks, and pressed Reno up against a brick wall, kissing him hard. "I want you," he whispered, breathing raggedly.<p>

"Fuck," Reno murmured, grasping Cloud's ass and pulling him hard into his crotch, grinding into him a bit. "Oh, _fuck_!"

"Later," Cloud muttered, grinning. "Well…soon, anyway. Let's try to get to the apartment first. We _do_ have a bed there, you know."

"No, _now_," Reno whined. "Right fucking _now_, Cloud." He let out a mewling cry as Cloud's hand stroked him through the thin cloth of his pants, driving him mad with desire.

"Not out _here_," Cloud argued, chuckling. "Have some common decency."

"You're the one groping me against the side of a building, sweetheart," Reno cracked.

Cloud grinned slyly, half lidded eyes literally defining the term 'bedroom eyes,' as he turned, then broke into a slow trot, heading back toward their apartment.

"Hey!" Reno yelped, grinning, as he gave chase to Cloud. "Fucking tease," he growled, gaining speed as he rounded the corner. Laughing, Cloud sprinted up the stairs to the door, then bolted up two flights of stairs to their second floor apartment, Reno trailing behind, panting. As Cloud fumbled with the key, hands shaking with nervous lust as he tried to open the door, Reno sidled up behind him, breath hot in his ear, as he ghosted his hands along Cloud's slim hips, pressing into his backside.

"Hurry up with that damned key," Reno murmured, his tongue lashing about the edge of Cloud's ear. "Slow as fucking molasses, Cloud…."

"Shut up," Cloud retorted, smiling. He finally managed to unlock the door, and pulled Reno into the darkened apartment after him, pushing him backwards toward the bedroom.

"Hey," Reno mumbled. "Let me walk, damn it."

"No," Cloud growled. "Too slow." He picked Reno up, making the Turk straddle his pelvis as he wrapped his arms around him and lifted him, carrying him into the bedroom. Cloud threw Reno onto their bed, and practically pounced on him, hands roaming up and down his body as he kissed him hungrily. He cursed as his shaking hands fumbled with the Turk's belt buckle and pants.

"Gods, Cloud," Reno murmured, chuckling. "What on Gaia has gotten into you?"

"You," he whispered in reply, kissing Reno hard. "You have. It's always been you, Reno…always."

"I'm yours, babe," Reno murmured. "Do what you will with me, you know you fucking _own_ me."

Finally unfastening Reno's pants, Cloud slid them down and off, releasing the Turk's achingly hard shaft. Cloud gave it a lick up and down, then took the tip of it gently in between his teeth, swirling his tongue around the crown, lapping up a single salty drop of Reno's essence. Reno fisted the sheets and parted his thighs as Cloud's talented tongue continued working up and down.

"C-Cloud," Reno stammered, running his tongue over parched lips. He could barely take in breath, it felt like Cloud was sucking the very air out of his lungs as he was deep-throated, soft blond spiked hair tickling his torso.

"Take me," Reno said brokenly, as Cloud moved up his body again, kissing here, stroking there, and capturing the soft and responsive lips within his own. The stress and the emotion of the day had built up in Reno; he felt raw, empty…wounded. It was not a feeling Reno experienced often, and it made him feel uncomfortable and not himself.

"I just feel like I'm broken right now, babe," Reno whispered softly, nipping Cloud's ear. "And you're the only one who can fix me."

Cloud nodded, pressing his body down onto Reno's. "I'll do my best," he said quietly. Easing Reno's pants off, Cloud set about removing his shirt next, then quickly stripped off his own clothing. The moonlight was streaming through the side window, illuminating Cloud in an almost spooky ,ethereal fashion. Cloud's entire body felt as if he were on fire, as his heated flesh met Reno's cooler skin, he hissed upon contact.

"You're burning up, Cloud," Reno whispered in a low growl. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Cloud replied, panting. "Just…a Mako flashback. Don't worry."

"Oh," Reno murmured, pulling Cloud down, kissing him. "Let me take your mind off of that, babe." He'd heard about Mako flashbacks; it was much like a surge of adrenaline, but intensified times ten. Reno had never seen Cloud go through one of these, but he'd seen it happen to other men in SOLDIER – Angeal Hewley, for one. Generally, when it happened, the person would have unbelievable, but short-lived strength. The one time he'd seen it happen to Angeal, Reno had witnessed the man lift the back end of a _tank_ off of the ground.

Reno knew what this meant for Cloud – he would likely be very rough, and not even realize it. _That's exactly what I fucking **need** now, though_, the Turk thought_. I need him to hurt me, I want to feel that pain…_

"Need you," Reno hissed, biting hard into Cloud's shoulder, and slapping his ass. "I need to _feel_ you, Cloud," he said pleadingly.

Cloud snarled upon feeling the slap, and slammed Reno's shoulders back down on the bed, straddling him. His eyes were glowing brightly in the dim moonlit room. The Mako in his body was surging, his emotions were rising.

"Oh, you'll feel me all right," Cloud said, grinning. "Gods, I don't know what's gotten into me – "

"It's the Mako, baby," Reno told him. "Just ride it out, it'll be over soon. Get the lube, yo," he commanded.

"Bossy bastard," Cloud grumbled, and Reno chuckled. However, Cloud complied, fetching the tube off of the side table, and slathered it on his fingers, then began inserting them into Reno, and was none too gentle about it.

"Fuck!" Reno yelped, as Cloud twisted and turned his hand, stretching Reno mercilessly. Oh, it hurt, but he'd wanted that, hadn't he? _Yes_. _Yes!_

"I want you in me, _now_, damn it," Reno demanded, slapping Cloud on the ass again. Cloud bared his teeth, and his eyes glowed even brighter at the sensation, the Mako in his body rushing forth once again_. It's pissing him **off** when I do that_, Reno thought, smirking. _Damn, this is getting interesting._

Without a word of warning, Cloud thrust hard into Reno, pushing the Turk's knees up as he plunged into him, over and over. Cloud was reaching the peak of the Mako flashback, his rapid tempo was almost more than Reno could keep up with – but the Turk _loved_ every bit of it. He was holding onto Cloud's hips, as if he was holding onto a lifeline to keep him from floating out into space. Cloud kept him grounded – both physically and otherwise. The realization went straight to his head, as Reno realized the depth of emotion he held for this man.

"You," Reno hissed, breathing in ragged gasps. "You fucking _own_ me, baby. Body and soul…I am _yours_."

"That's – " Cloud grunted as he pulled out, then slammed into Reno again – "right." He almost felt high, as if he had the power to levitate; for a moment, he wished he did. Instead, he slid his arms underneath Reno's torso, and rolled him around on the bed, until they fell on the floor. Scrambling, Cloud scooped Reno up carefully – still inside him – and carried him a few feet over to the wall. Bracing Reno's back against it, Cloud fucked him hard against the wall, wondering if they'd woken the neighbors yet, and not really giving a damn if they did.

The Mako flashback was nearing its end, Cloud felt himself coming down from the high. He groaned, slowing his pace slightly as his body temperature dropped, and his energy began to wane. "So close," he muttered, groaning. "I'm so close."

"Yeah," Reno murmured, mouth hanging open in ecstasy, hissing from the dueling sensations of pleasure and pain flowing through his body. "Me….too." He grasped his cock and began stroking himself off, knowing it wouldn't be much longer until he was completely spent. And it wasn't, just moments later, he shuddered and came in his hand, grateful that his legs were still wrapped around Cloud's torso, he knew that if they hadn't been, he surely would have fallen to the ground. Cloud cried out in a strangled-sounding moan as he peaked, driving into Reno so hard, the Turk almost thought that Cloud would somehow fuck him _through_ the wall.

Pulling out of Reno, Cloud took a few stumbling steps backward and fell onto the bed, completely exhausted. He ran his hands over his sweat-slicked forehead, running his fingers through his hair. Reno joined him and lay next to him on the bed, kissing Cloud's cheek as he swept a hand over his forehead.

"Feeling okay?" Reno asked quietly, sensing that Cloud was over the flashback, and coming back to some semblance of normalcy.

"Yeah," Cloud replied, letting out a long breath of air. "Yeah. I'm….tired now."

"Well, you kind of expended a bit of energy just now, babe," Reno quipped. "Shower, then bed?" he asked.

Cloud nodded. "Sounds perfect. Nice hot shower, and then…sleep."

* * *

><p>After they were done, Reno and Cloud quickly showered, and just as quickly, toweled themselves off, slipping back under the still-warm sheets, arms entwined about each other as they drifted off to sleep. They both slept hard and fitfully, exhausted from their lovemaking. Cloud stirred only once, when something that sounded strangely like mice – or some other small creature – skittering on the floor above him. <em>Fuck<em>, he thought sleepily, barely awake. _Gonna have to call the landlord about that tomorrow. Damned mice…. _Moments later, Cloud was fast asleep once again.

Several hours later, when both were in deep R.E.M. sleep, two sounds jarred them out of a sound sleep, coming from the apartment above them. A bloodcurdling scream; followed by a thud, which sounded much like a body hitting the floor.

"Holy shit," Reno exclaimed, bolting upright upon hearing the second noise. "Did you hear that, Cloud?" he asked, already pulling on a t-shirt and pants.

"I did," Cloud said, nodding. "That didn't sound good – " He paused, wrinkling his nose, as if smelling something unpleasant.

"Do you smell that, Reno?" Cloud asked. "It's that sulfur smell again."

"Yeah," Reno replied, sniffing the air. "Fuck, it's even stronger than it was the other day. "What the hell is going on here?" Reno stiffened, suddenly remembering Tseng's words earlier, about the rash of missing persons lately, with the only common thread being a high concentration of sulfur in the air.

"Cloud, grab a weapon, and grab one fast," Reno shouted, already fastening the strap of his EMR to his wrist. He slid his feet into flip flops as he saw Cloud grab a small sword.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but this could have to do with that case the Turks are working on now," Reno told Cloud hurriedly, as they locked up and dashed up the stairs to the third floor of the apartment complex. "I hope we get there before it's too late ." _Damn, I'm kind glad Tirsa's not here_, Reno thought, as Cloud knocked on their neighbor's door. _I miss that kid already, but I have a bad feeling about this..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Getting closer to revealing what's behind that weird sulfur smell. All will be made clear in the next chapter, I promise!  
>And a strange little subplot kind of popped up on its own there, with Rufus and the trust funds for the kids. Eh, he's always trying to redeem himself, I suppose. :)<strong>

**Oh, and the Mako flashbacks...something I kind of came up with, for fun. I figure it's similar to a Limit Break, but basically unpredictable, they just happen randomly; and actually, I thought of it being a bit like when Bruce Banner transforms into the Hulk...except nobody turns huge and green and frightening. XD**


	8. The Beast

Cloud's heart was pounding, the adrenaline rush driving any last vestiges of sleep out of his body, as he and Reno bounded up the staircase to see what had happened in the apartment above them. Both men had a sense of foreboding the closer they got to the door. "Try not to touch anything, Cloud," Reno cautioned in a whisper. "If there's been foul play, CSI will have to come in and dust for prints." Cloud nodded in understanding, and tried the doorknob.

"It's unlocked," Cloud whispered, surprised. He glanced back at Reno and nodded, both men drawing their weapons. Nudging open the door with the tip of his EMR, Reno pressed forward, and flung the door open wide as he saw what appeared to be feet, disappearing through an HVAC duct on the wall facing him.

"Cloud, get the lights! Fuck, I wish I brought a lantern, instead of this little piece of shit," Reno grumbled, switching on a tiny halogen flashlight as he ran toward the air duct. He hit the floor, and got down on his belly, crawling into the dark tunnel of sheet metal.

"I'm calling for help," Cloud muttered, pulling out his cell phone. "Reno! Don't go in there, we don't know what it is!" Something –instinct, perhaps – told him that they were dealing with an _it_, and not a _human_.

"I'll be fine, I've got my EMR!" Reno shouted back over his shoulder, breaking into an army crawl as he slithered through the ventilation shaft. He could still see the feet of the figure in front of him, being dragged upwards through the HVAC system. The smell of sulfur was overpowering, and he saw something else ahead of him…a prehensile tail. He shined his light ahead, squinting – now it seemed to Reno like there were two figures ahead of him. The feet that were right in front of him seemed human, but…

_That thing with the fucking tail,_ he thought, _is definitely not human._ The heat inside the ventilation shaft was stifling; sweat was dripping into Reno's eyes, and he was losing his footing, flip-flops not providing very good traction after all. "Get the fuck back here!" he snarled in frustration, quite obviously giving away his location. He had assumed that the creature in front of him had sensed his presence long before then, anyway.

He heard a hissing and a snarl as something was flung at him in the narrow, dark, space, and stung his arm…burning…burning…burning…

"_FUCKING BURNING_!" Reno screamed. "The…thing…threw…fucking acid at me!" He gasped, clutching at his arm, quickly backing out of the air shaft. Reno was no coward, nor was he stupid either – the time for retreat was now, especially since he could not really see what he was dealing with. As he scrambled backwards, he could hear Cloud shouting behind him.

"Gods damn it, Reno, I told you not to go charging in there!" Cloud yelled, pulling him out. Reno hissed as Cloud inadvertently clutched his hurt arm. "So fucking pigheaded, you couldn't wait…"

"Don't bitch me out, Cloud," Reno said, scowling at him as he ran into the kitchen, quickly running cold water over the chemical burn on his arm. "I don't want to hear it."

"I know you don't want to hear it, but I really don't care," Cloud snapped, standing to Reno's side, glaring at the man as he rinsed his arm. "You keep putting yourself in harm's way like that, without a single thought for – "

"It's what I do, Cloud," Reno interrupted. "I'm a _Turk_."

"I know that," Cloud retorted. "But you're also a husband…and a _father_. Did you forget that last one already?" he asked, frowning.

Reno snarled and turned on Cloud, backing him up against the counter, his face mere inches away as he hissed at him angrily. "Don't you dare throw that up in my face, Cloud," he snapped. "What the fuck, you think I don't care about my _daughter_? "

"I know you care about Tirsa," Cloud said evenly. "But I think you just forgot about everything – her, me, the rest of the _world_ – when you just charged ahead blindly, like you always seem to do. Didn't you learn anything from the first time you went after Don Corneo, Reno?"

Reno's teal eyes blazed with anger. "Fuck _you_, Cloud," he spat. "I'm trying to do the right thing here – "

"Stop it. I don't want to fight, Reno," Cloud said dully, putting his hand up in defeat. "No more. I called Tseng…told him what was going on…he's on his way over with Rude and Elena."

"Okay," Reno said, his anger at Cloud dissipating somewhat. He didn't really want to fight either, he really didn't – Cloud sometimes just had the knack for saying exactly the thing to piss him off. _And I seem to have a knack for doing things to piss him off. _He supposed Cloud had a point…he really should take a moment to think before charging ahead as he'd just did.

_That's just not how I operate, though_, Reno thought, frowning_. But I guess I gotta operate that way from now on, I've got a kid who already lost one parent…not gonna put her through that hell again._

"That's good, Cloud," Reno said slowly. "What's their ETA?"

"Tseng said ten minutes," Cloud replied, staring at Reno's arm. "You need to have that looked at."

Reno waved off his concerns. "I will, I'll go to medical later," he said. I need to see Tirsa, Cloud. Gods, I've been a shitty father, a shitty husband – "

"No, you haven't," Cloud said quietly, pulling Reno into a quick hug. "Look. You scared the shit out of me just now, when you went up that shaft and I heard you screaming. And you know I don't scare easily, Reno…and I'm not trying to mother- hen you, I swear I'm not. I know you hate when I do that. Just…try to remember that I nearly lost you, not even a year ago. It's not something I'll easily forget, you know."

Reno felt horrible. He knew all this, of course, but when the thrill of the chase and adrenaline took over his brain, it was as if everything else went out the window. "I'm sorry, Cloud," he said sincerely. "I mean it, I am. You're right…after the shit with Corneo, I should have taken a minute to think, instead of jumping into the fucking shaft."

"Never mind, it's done now," Cloud said quickly. "We'll wait here for Tseng then I'm taking you to medical."

"Fine," Reno said tiredly, not wanting to argue any further. "I'd like it if we picked up Tirsa first."

"Okay," Cloud agreed, nodding. "We can do that. "

* * *

><p>Sometime later, Tseng and the remaining Turks had arrived, followed by CSI agents, who locked down the apartment in question, declaring it a crime scene. Reno and Cloud both gave their statements, and CSI took photographs of Reno's injury, along with some swabs of the acid residue that was left on the edges of the chemical burn.<p>

One of the crime scene investigators scolded Reno for rinsing his arm right away; he had "contaminated the evidence" that way, he was told. The comment was not well received by Reno, who glared at the man. "I supposed you'd rather that I let the stuff burn down to the fucking bone, then? You wouldn't get much of a fucking sample if I had no goddamned arm left," he snarled. "Who the fuck are you, Hojo?"

"Easy, Reno," Tseng said quietly, trying to de-escalate the situation and calm down his fiery tempered Second. "It's understandable that you'd want to rinse what apparently is _sulfuric acid_ off of your arm immediately," he remarked, giving the CSI agent a pointed look.

"Yeah," Reno snapped. "Chemical burns aren't a fucking walk in the park, yo." With a final glare at the agent, Reno snatched his arm away, cradling it. He inhaled, hissing – it did hurt pretty badly really, though he wasn't about to let on to Cloud how badly it hurt.

"So," he said, addressing Cloud and the Turks. "I guess we know where that sulfuric acid smell's from. Something flung fucking acid at me in that shaft."

"Reno, do you remember anything unusual about the attack itself?" Tseng questioned him. "I realize it was dark in there, and probably very hard to see…"

"Well, yeah, it was hard to see, boss," Reno replied. "I had this little dinky light with me," he said, dangling the small halogen flashlight from its chain. "But…I did hear something hissing at me. Not a big surprise, that, I know the thing in the shaft wasn't human. Well…see, I think there was a human in there, unconscious though. The former occupant of this apartment, that is…they were being dragged up the air shaft by that…_thing_. Whatever it was, it was fucking _huge_. That much, I do know."

"What did it look like, Reno?" Rude asked, curiously.

"Not really sure, partner," Reno replied, shaking his head. "The most I can tell you about its appearance is that…the skin seemed reflective. The little light I did have, kind of bounced off of the…tail. Which ended in a point…"

"Pointed tail, reflective skin," Tseng repeated. "Reptilian, do you think?"

"Could be," Reno replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Wishing I'd brought my damned lantern in there."

"Well, it's a start, anyway," Tseng said, sighing. "Reno, go get that looked after," he ordered, pointing at Reno's arm.

"Yes, ma," the redhead replied, smirking. "Going to get my daughter first, then we'll head over to medical. Don't worry," he added, as Tseng shot him a glare. "I _am_ going there, my husband's kind of making me." He grinned over at Cloud, who smiled in return.

"You must be trying to break your last record for injuries sustained in a single week," Elena said teasingly.

"If that's the case, Laney, then I have some catching up to do, I'm behind by two," Reno replied, snickering. He suddenly realized Cloud was glaring at him. "What? I was _joking_, yo."

"Of course you were," Cloud murmured, sighing. "Come on. Let's get Tirsa, then get you to medical."

* * *

><p>They took Reno's car, with Cloud insisting upon driving, quickly stopping at Seventh Heaven to pick up Tirsa. Reno was grimacing in pain from the chemical burn, and decided to wait in the car while Cloud went inside to get Tirsa.<p>

The girl was sitting at the bar with Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel, eating a light breakfast. She broke out into a grin as she spotted Cloud entering the restaurant, but frowned slightly upon noticing the absence of her father.

"Cloud?" Tirsa squeaked nervously. "Where's my dad?"

"He, ah….had a minor injury," Cloud replied hesitantly, not wanting to upset the girl. "I'm taking him to medical now, and really….don't worry, Tirsa. Reno is…accident prone," he said with a dry chuckle, hoping to put her mind at ease.

"Oh," Tirsa said, nodding. "Um…okay, then. Thanks for letting me stay, Tifa. Bye Marlene, bye Denzel! "

"You're welcome," Tifa said warmly, waving to the girl as she headed toward the door. "Cloud!" Tifa hissed under her breath, grabbing Cloud by the arm. "What on Gaia did Reno do _now_?"

"Chemical burn," Cloud replied. "Sulfuric acid. I'll…explain later. Gotta run, I've got to get Reno to medical."

"Gods, you certainly have your hands full with him, Cloud," Tifa muttered. "Good luck."

"Thanks, I'll need it," Cloud replied dryly. "And thanks for having Tirsa stay over, Teef…I hope she wasn't any problem."

"No problem at all Cloud," Tifa replied. "She's fitting in well. Really, I think the only thing we have to worry about, is if Tirsa's in the same room with Yuffie," she commented, grinning.

"Don't remind me," Cloud said, rolling his eyes. "Hey, thanks again. And Teef…I'll tell you more later, but do me a favor? Don't let the kids go near any of the air ducts, and you stay away from them too."

"Air ducts?" Tifa echoed, perplexed. "What's going on with the air ducts?"

"Don't really know yet, but something…weird happened this morning, with the upstairs neighbor. I gotta go, but I'll fill you in later, okay? Bye Denz….bye Marlene," he called, as he left.

"Bye Cloud!" Denzel replied.

* * *

><p>Back at the car, Tirsa was worrying over Reno as Cloud approached, and the blond swordsman chuckled; now Reno would have to deal with <em>two<em> people doting over him. Cloud knew it drove Reno nuts at times, being mother-henned like that; but it was also kind of sweet, he thought, that Tirsa was showing concern for her father like that.

"Tirsa, I told you, it's just a little burn, yo," Reno was telling the girl as Cloud got back behind the wheel. He grinned at Tirsa, chuckling.

"He's right, Tirsa," Cloud said reassuringly. "Really, Reno's done much worse than this. He's always getting into…scrapes, it seems."

"But how did this happen?" Tirsa pressed. She was sitting in the middle of the back seat, hunching herself forward between the two front bucket seats looking over at Reno in the passenger seat.

"Never mind," Reno said, not wanting to answer the question. "Hey, why don't you have your seat belt on?"

"Neither do _you_," Tirsa pointed out, sticking out her bottom lip stubbornly.

"Ah….good point," Reno muttered, grinning at Cloud, as he fastened his seat belt. _That kid…_

"Cloud, I'm gonna go right to work after they fix me up, then you and Tirsa can do what you need to do," Reno continued.

"Hate to point out the obvious, Reno," Cloud said dryly, "but you're still in your pajama pants and flip flops."

"Got a change of clothes there, yo," Reno said, grinning triumphantly. "I've got everything I need in my office."

"Well, you do think of everything, don't you," Cloud remarked, chuckling. "Okay, I guess we're off, Tirsa. This isn't the first injury your father has gotten – "

"Nor will it be the last," Reno finished, laughing and smirking, as Cloud pulled out of the parking space.

* * *

><p>Reno was checked out at the medical facility at Shinra Headquarters, waving off any concerns from Tirsa. "Seriously, it's nothing," he said casually, as he walked Tirsa and Cloud out of the building, planning to report back to work right away. His arm was treated and bandaged, the damage wasn't severe, but Reno would likely end up with some scarring on his forearm.<p>

"If it's nothing, why aren't you telling me how it happened?" Tirsa pressed stubbornly.

The Turk sighed. "Gods, you are as tenacious as I am, and that's saying something." Cloud snorted a laugh.

"Look, Tirsa," Reno continued. "I haven't told you how this happened, because I'm not even sure myself, how it happened. I was in the ventilation shaft…following something. It was dark, I couldn't see well, I only had that little light – _something_ threw acid at me, or spat it at me, I don't know which, and got me in the arm."

"Oh," Tirsa said quietly, digesting this. "So…do you think it was a monster?"

"I don't know," Reno said candidly. "But the Turks are on it. Tirsa? Listen, there's going to be times…that I can't tell you what's happening, if it's classified or something. Hell, there have been a few times that I can't even tell Cloud something until after the fact, and he's my husband. Pisses him off, too," he added, chuckling.

"Yeah," Cloud said dryly. "That it does."

"The point, Tirsa," Reno continued seriously, "is that I will never lie to you. I might not tell you the whole story sometimes, and if that happens, it's because I have damned good reasons not to. But I promise you this, I will never lie to you."

"Thank you," Tirsa whispered. "Mama...she would lie to me sometimes, you know. Just...telling me that everything was going to be okay, but I could always see it in her eyes, that it _wasn't_ going to be okay."

"I'm sure she was just saying that to protect you, Tirsa," Reno said. "Dayanara...she wasn't a liar, I do remember that much about her."

"I don't blame her or anything like that," Tirsa said. "It's just...I _knew_ when she was lying to me, and I used to get mad. But I know now...she was just doing the best that she could."

"Yeah," Reno said through a sigh, hugging Tirsa to him. "That she was." Impulsively, Reno kissed his daughter on the forehead; she flinched at the unexpected contact, but did not pull away.

"So Cloud, you taking her to get registered for school?" Reno asked him.

"We'll pick up all the paperwork," Cloud replied. "I'm guessing you'll have to sign everything, Reno, you're the legal guardian, not me."

"Oh," Reno replied dumbly, feeling like an idiot for missing the obvious. "Yeah...good point. Well, hell with that, let me go talk to Reeve, and he'll fix a document that'll make you her legal guardian too."

"By 'fix', do you mean 'forge'?" Cloud asked, a wry smirk on his face.

Reno laughed. "Semantics, Cloud. You worry too damned much, yo. Hey, you two wanna wait in my office? It shouldn't take long."

"I guess we can wait a bit," Cloud agreed, nodding. "It's not like Tirsa's starting school _today_, and I have the day off, besides."

"Oh, cool!" Tirsa said excitedly. "So I get to see your office? I've seen Tseng's office, but he didn't show me yours."

"It might ah, be a little messy," Reno warned, flushing. "Don't be too alarmed. But it's organized chaos, I swear I know where everything is."

"This is why I never visit you at work," Cloud cracked, as they got on the elevator. "I'm afraid I'll get anthrax or something."

"Hey!" Reno retorted, protesting. "That ain't fair. Nobody _made_ you eat that bagel, Cloud."

"I thought it had jalapenos in it," Cloud told Tirsa. "Didn't realize it was actually mold."

"Eww!" Tirsa blurted, wrinkling her nose. "That is _disgusting_! Dad, don't you ever clean your office?"

"Ah...no?" Reno said, grinning, as they reached the floor.

* * *

><p>"Oh my gods, Cloud," Tirsa said as they sat – once they cleared off enough clutter to find a chair – in Reno's office. It was a large room, or would have seemed more so, had it not been so full of Reno's <em>things<em>.

"This…is crazy," she said, looking around at the piles of clothing, old record albums, and stacks of books. "Was...he always like this?"

"Yes," Cloud replied, tripping over an overturned pasta drainer. "Ow!" he yelped, reaching down for the item, studying it curiously. "What the hell is Reno doing with a colander?" Cloud muttered, puzzled. "Is this mine, from home?"

"Don't ask," Rude murmured, smirking as he poked his head in. "Hi, Tirsa," he said, waving at the girl.

"Hi, Rude," Tirsa replied, smiling. "Hey, Rude? Why is my dad's office so...crazy? He's not like this at home."

Rude sighed, then snickered. "Reno is Reno," he replied diplomatically. "So...what are you guys doing here? And where's Reno?"

"Reno went to see Reeve, about some documents," Cloud replied, moving a foot-high stack of magazines off of the desk just so he could _see _Tirsa.

"Ahh," Rude murmured. "Documents, huh. I won't ask. But anyway, when Reno gets back - can you tell him to meet the rest of us down in the lab? They found another one," he said, his face suddenly turning grim. "Plus some weird kind of parasite. I've gotta run, tell Reno...I'll see him later."

"Later. Wow. A... parasite?" Cloud repeated. "This is getting stranger and stranger. I'm guessing this has to do with the disappearances in the west end?"

"What disappearances?" Tirsa butted in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

_Shit, forgot she was listening in_, Cloud thought. "Ah, nothing you have to worry about, Tirsa," Cloud lied, trying to downplay his worry. "Just something that's being investigated right now. Just make sure you're alert and stick with an adult at all times, okay? Until we know what's going on. And _don't_ play in any air ducts," he ordered.

"You're starting to scare me, Cloud," Tirsa said, the grin vanishing from her once-smiling face. "Seriously, what is happening?"

"What's happening, in a nutshell," Cloud said, "is that people are disappearing, and we don't know why. The Turks are investigating. I don't mean to scare you or anything, just...being cautious, is all."

"Oh, okay," Tirsa said. "This...doesn't have anything to do with Don Corneo, does it?" she asked fearfully.

_Reno_, Cloud thought, groaning inwardly. _You didn't even tell her, did you?_

"You no longer have to worry about Don Corneo, Tirsa," Cloud said simply. "Reno took care of it."

"Did he _kill_ him?" Tirsa asked in a near whisper. It wasn't as if the girl was unused to death, and violence; she'd seen plenty of it living on the streets as she'd been. It was something else altogether to learn one's newly father made a rather good living from killing people, and it was something Tirsa was still trying to wrap her brain around.

"Tirsa, I - " Cloud began, then sighed, hesitating. He wasn't sure how much he should tell the girl, and really, this was Reno's story to tell. "I'd rather not go into detail..."

Tirsa nodded, apparently analyzing this bit, just as Reno re-entered the messy office, paperwork clutched in his hand.

"Reeve came through for me again, yo," Reno declared, smirking. "Glad I kept on his good side. You are now officially Tirsa's legal guardian."

"Just like that?" Cloud said dubiously. "We don't have to go to court or anything? Is this _legal_, Reno?" he pressed.

"Reeve said it's 'legally sufficient,'" Reno explained. "Good enough for me, yo." Cloud shook his head and sighed.

Suddenly changing the subject, Tirsa blurted out, "Dad? What does it feel like, when you kill someone?" The room fell silent, as the question drew surprised glances from both Reno and Cloud.

"What? Where the hell did _that_ come from?" Reno inquired, taken aback by the question.

"I asked Cloud what happened to Don Corneo," Tirsa replied, shrugging. "And Cloud told me not to worry, that you took care of him, so I wondered...if that meant you had killed him."

Reno sighed, and moved a pile of clutter from his desk chair, taking a seat. "I said I'd never lie to you, Tirsa," he began, "and I meant it. But there are some things I'd rather not tell you...until you're older. You're only twelve - "

"I may be only twelve, but I've seen a lot of shit already," Tirsa snapped bitterly. "Maybe I don't know what it's like to kill someone, but I know what's it's like to die, I've seen it happen right in front of me."

Reno shuddered in spite of himself; he knew, of course, that Tirsa was referring to her mother dying in front of her. "You've seen too much," Reno whispered. "Look, why don't we have Cloud take you now, get you registered - I gotta get some work done here, but I'll take us all out for Wutaian food when I'm done, sound good?"

"It does," Cloud agreed, nodding. "Oh, by the way, Rude was looking for you when you were with Reeve - he said they found another one, and to meet him and everyone down at the lab."

"Shit, another vic?" Reno muttered, shaking his head. "Things are starting to get weird out there," he observed. "Be careful, I'm serious," Reno told Cloud, giving him a quick kiss. "I love you, babe. I know I don't tell you enough, but I do."

"I know you do," Cloud said, smiling. "And I love you. Take it easy with that arm."

"I will," Reno nodded. "Hey, good luck with everything, Tirsa," he told the girl, hugging her. "Oh, and Cloud, here's the paperwork from Reeve," Reno said, handing it over.

"I still don't know how Reeve does it, but if it helps me register Tirsa for school….well, I guess I'd better not complain," Cloud commented, taking the papers from Reno. "See you later."

"Bye," Reno called, waving as they left. "Now…" he said to himself, surveying one of his three coat racks for a clean suit. "Guess I'd better get into uniform, and meet with old Rudy and everyone else."

* * *

><p>Reno changed into relatively clean clothing, and ran down to the labs to meet with Tseng, Rude, and Elena. The Director nodded at Reno as he entered, waving him over.<p>

"Glad you could make it," Tseng remarked dryly, a slight smirk on his face. "I want you to see this. The President has activated the Shinra guard; they are on standby if needed."

"The Shinra guard?" Reno echoed. "This shit is serious."

"It certainly is," Tseng replied. "Let's proceed." He led Reno, Elena and Rude over to a hospital room that was sealed shut; running his keycard through the slot, Tseng opened the door, ushering them inside. There, lying in a hospital bed, was a seemingly comatose man. "This is Rokah Stratus…luckily he had his ID on him. We have a few John and Jane Does in here too. Now the strange thing is…all the victims appear to have a parasite, so they are all kept in these special quarantined rooms.

"Good idea," Rude remarked dryly.

"What kind of parasite?" Elena asked, curious.

"It appears to be intestinal, from what we can see on the ultrasound," Tseng informed her. "Now, until today – we had no idea what we were dealing with. It was uncertain whether removing the parasite from the host, would result in death for the host, so our doctors have been waiting, and observing for any change."

"However," Tseng continued, now ushering everyone out of the room, "today, we found a strange…creature, lying near one of the victims, who is currently still comatose. The creature is dead, it's in cold storage over in the lab, so let's head over there next."

"Okay," Reno said, as everyone fell in line behind Tseng, dutifully following him over to the lab. "So…have any of them woken up yet, or is everyone still in comas?"

"Not yet," Tseng replied, shaking his head. "We've got Mr. Stratus over there, two John Does in the back, along with a Jane Doe. Our Jane Doe is a child," he added, frowning.

"A child," Reno echoed, involuntarily shuddering as he instantly thought of Tirsa. _Don't want this shit happening to her...gotta keep her safe..._

Tseng had moved over to a small refrigerator and took out the specimen, which was sitting in a metal tray. He placed it on one of the stainless steel tables in the lab, and pulled on a pair of surgical gloves. The Turks stood around the table, staring at the odd-looking creature in the tray. It resembled a crab, having eight legs, but with a long tail, of perhaps three feet long. The thing was lying on its back, and did not appear to have any facial features, except for a long protuberance near the mouth of the creature, looking a bit like an elephant's trunk.

Taking a probe and a scalpel, Tseng began poking at the underside of the specimen.

"You sure that's a good idea, sir? Poking it like that?" Rude asked nervously. He didn't like any of this, not to mention, the bad overall vibe he was getting.

"The thing is dead, Reno," Tseng murmured, not even looking up. Suddenly, the specimen drew all of its legs in; everyone but Tseng jumped in surprise.

"Just reflexes," Tseng remarked, still poking and prodding the thing. "I assure you...it's dead."

"Can we put that away, yo?" Reno muttered. "Thing creeps me out."

Tseng nodded. "Yes, well. I just wanted everyone to see what one of these looked like. Now, we have not seen one of these attached, but according to an eyewitness who came across our Jane Doe - this creature was attached to the human host's face. When our eyewitness approached, the thing detached itself, and skittered away, only to die moments after detaching from the face. It's likely that this is a larval form of the creature that we see here - "

"Eww, larva?" Elena blurted, wrinkling her nose. "Does that mean we're dealing with a giant insect, sir?"

"It's hard to tell _what_ it is exactly, Elena," Tseng explained. He covered the specimen up with a sheet of gauze, and placed the metal tray back into the small refrigerator, then pulled off his gloves, depositing them into the trashcan. As he washed his hands, Tseng went on. "It certainly has traits of an insect, yes. But it also has mammalian features...such as a heart, and a pulse...and, blood. We've determined that the blood is actually sulfuric acid."

"Holy shit," Reno breathed. "That...explains a lot of things. Including what happened to my arm," he commented, rubbing his hand lightly over his bandaged chemical burn.

"Boss?" Reno said, trying to recall the creature he'd seen in the air duct, though admittedly he hadn't gotten a good look at all, due to the lack of light. However, he knew one thing for sure; the creature in the ventilation shaft was a hell of a lot bigger than the specimen Tseng had just shown them. "That thing in the air duct," Reno said slowly. "It wasn't any larval, tiny thing, it was big. Like...I couldn't see very well, it was so dark, but - I got the sense that there were two adults in there, not just the upstairs neighbor being dragged away. So whatever is out there, there's a big version of it."

"So maybe the parasite that was implanted is an embryonic form...that grows into this full-sized adult," Tseng theorized. A choking, rasping sound was heard from the bed in the sick bay; Tseng exchanged a fearful glance with his Turks, as they all rushed over. The Director threw back the curtain and shouted, "Rude, call for a Code Blue!" The man in the bed - their John Doe - was conscious, and convulsing horribly. Rude ran off and paged a code blue over the PA system, seconds later, medical staff came running in.

"What's - what's going on with me!" the man screamed in terror, choking and having what appeared to be a seizure. "Oh gods!" he screamed, clutching his abdomen. "It's _eating_ me!"

"It's - eating him?" Reno repeated dumbly. He tightened his grip around his EMR, some instinct told him it might not be such a bad idea to have the thing ready, and switched on. He set it to low, hoping he wouldn't need to use it. Reno stared, dumbstruck, as three orderlies tried holding the man down as he thrashed wildly in the bed; his abdomen appeared to be bulging out.

"_Something's coming out of him_," Reno whispered, raising his EMR. He crouched in a defensive stance, watching and waiting. "If some parasite...thing comes out, I'm fucking tase-ing it," he warned Tseng.

"Set it to stun only," Tseng cautioned him. "The science department will want a live specimen, if possible...to see what we're dealing with here."

"I could care less about playing doctor with this fucking thing," Reno growled. "I'm all for incinerating the motherfucker, except they won't let me use my flamethrower in here."

"No, fire plus oxygen tanks are not a good mix, usually," Tseng remarked dryly. A sudden spray of blood squirted from John Doe's abdomen, creating a graceful, crimson arc, before spattering on the nearby wall.

"The fucking thing is chewing a hole through this guy to get out!" Reno shouted, horrified at the sudden realization.

"I think you're right!" Elena replied, drawing her weapon. "Gods, the poor man," she murmured sympathetically as she looked at John Doe's pain - stricken face. "He must be in agony!"

"It will be over soon," Rude said grimly, tensing suddenly as he saw something tubular burst through the abdomen, blood starting to spray everywhere. "Reno, get ready!"

"Laney, shut the goddamned door!" Reno yelled. He heard her run behind him to secure the door, as the medical personnel still attempted to attend to their patient, even though it was rapidly becoming very obvious that their efforts to save John Doe would ultimately be futile.

"There's no saving him," Reno said sadly. "Tseng, we need to - "

Without any hesitation, Tseng took his duty revolver and pressed it to the terrified man's skull. "Minerva be with you," Tseng whispered before pulling the trigger, "and may you be one with the Lifestream. I am sorry, there is no other way, my friend." He then fired, the bullet piercing the brain, killing the man almost instantly.

"Fuck, everyone get _down, _it's coming out of him!" Reno shouted, as a worm-like appendage burst forth from John Doe's abdominal cavity, looking every bit like some sort of embryonic Midgar Zolom, opening and closing its small mouth as it displayed razor-sharp baby teeth. Reno charged forward with his EMR, zapping the newborn beast. It shrieked and writhed, still half-hanging out of the open wound of its victim's stomach. Reno turned up the electricity in his EMR to the highest setting, and rammed the tip of his weapon into the open mouth of the creature, feeling his arm go partially numb as the electricity coursed through his weapon.

"Stubborn little bastard, just die already!" Reno shouted, as the thing let out a bitter cry, finally flopping over dead. Taking a step back, Reno wiped his forehead with his sleeve and attempted to collect his thoughts, still not sure of what he'd seen.

"It's dead," he announced to everyone present in a flat monotone, as he took in a deep breath.

"What the hell _is_ that thing?" Rude asked, adjusting his sunglasses as he peered over them.

"Damned if I know," Tseng replied. He closed shut the eyelids of the now-deceased John Doe, and drew the bloodied hospital blanket over his body. "I want this room sealed," Tseng told the Turks. "Everyone else…you're dismissed," he said, addressing the medical personnel. "Thank you all."

"We'll have the science team come in here as soon as possible, but in the interim, I want this room sealed, and I want a guard posted outside at all times."

"I'll call for one of the Shinra troopers, see if they can assign someone here," Elena said quickly, already dialing the number on her cell phone.

"Good," Tseng replied, nodding. "And the other John Doe, and Jane Doe….they'll have to be moved into isolation, unfortunately."

"Jane Doe was the kid, huh?" Reno said soberly as he remembered.

"Yes, Reno," Tseng replied, sighing. "I hate to think that she – or anyone – will meet the same fate as our John Doe here, but it seems inevitable."

"Yeah," Reno said quietly. His thoughts immediately turned to Tirsa, and he gritted his teeth, mentally resolving that he'd die first before letting something like this happen to her."

"We'll secure the area, sir," he informed Tseng. "Then I'd like to call it a day, if that's all right. Arm's hurting a bit."

"That's fine, Reno," Tseng said. "Nice work today…thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Dun dun DUN….yes, they are facehugger aliens, oh WHERE have I seen those before? :)****  
><strong>**So, yes – this is kind of a FFVII/Aliens crossover, but I'm not including any of the human characters from the Alien movies, just the actual xenomorphs themselves.**

**Reeve, for some reason, has become my go-to guy in fics, whenever anyone needs paperwork of questionable legality. **


	9. Child of Mine

**Warnings for this chapter: Lemon, language, and angst. **

* * *

><p><em>Nobody's gonna kill your dreams<em>  
><em>Or tell you how to live your life<em>  
><em>There'll always be people to make it hard for a while<em>  
><em>But you'll change their heads when they see you smile<em>

_The times you were born in may not have been the best_  
><em>But you can make the times to come better than the rest<em>  
><em>I know you will be honest if you can't always be kind<em>  
><em>Oh yes, sweet darling<em>  
><em>So glad you are a child of mine<em>

**"Child of Mine", Carole King**

* * *

><p>Cloud had gotten Tirsa registered for school, and was surprised that the documents supplied by Reeve allowed him to do so without question. He was half expecting the school officials to call him on it, and order him to provide some 'real' proof that he was the girl's guardian, but was pleasantly surprised when that did not happen. Tirsa would be attending the new junior high school, the same school that Denzel would be attending in a few years. Remembering his own not-so-pleasant experience in junior high and high school back in Nibelheim, Cloud almost felt as if he should apologize to the girl for registering her for school; it almost felt as if he was throwing Tirsa to the wolves. <em>She's a tough kid<em>, Cloud told himself, shaking his head. _She survived the streets on her own for two years...she can survive school just as well, I think._

"So I guess we'll need to go school shopping now," Cloud told Tirsa as they left, getting into the car. "Buy you a new backpack, notebooks...that sort of thing. Anything else you need?"

"I don't think so," she replied, shaking her head. "I got a lot of clothes when you guys took me shopping before...so I think I'm good there."

"Okay," Cloud said, nodding. "So just school supplies, then. Oh...I have to get a present, too, while we're out," he added, smiling.

"Present for who?" Tirsa asked, frowning quizzically.

"For your dad," Cloud replied. "It's his birthday this Friday."

"Oh, really?" Tirsa said, suddenly interested. "I guess...I wouldn't have known that. I mean, my mom never mentioned it, you know?"

Cloud nodded. "Of course, I'm sure you didn't know. It's okay," he added, trying to reassure the girl.

"So...what are we going to get my dad, then?" Tirsa asked, smiling. "I guess I don't really know him well enough yet, to know what he's into...except, ya know, video games..."

"I have something in mind," Cloud replied, with a mysterious grin. "Something...sort of sentimental. But we can get something for him that's just from you, Tirsa. If you want to, that is."

"Okay. But...will there be cake?" Tirsa asked, somewhat timidly. "I...love birthday cake. I've only eaten it once, in my life and it was _so_ good. I've never had a cake on my own birthday, actually," she added quietly, her eyes downcast.

Cloud had been about to tell Tirsa that Reno usually didn't like a big fuss being made over his birthday, and that he'd often give Cloud a hard time about getting gifts, never mind adding a birthday cake to the mix. But Cloud couldn't bring himself to say those words.

"Yes," he replied simply, swallowing hard around the lump in his throat. "There will be cake."

* * *

><p>They spent much of the remainder of the day shopping, while Reno was still at work. Cloud was glad he had the day off from deliveries - it gave him a chance to bond with his new stepdaughter. At first, the term 'stepdaughter' sounded strange to Cloud's ears; then again, hearing the words "Reno's daughter" had sounded foreign to him initially as well, but Cloud was quickly getting used to the presence of this young girl in their lives.<p>

So far, Tirsa had referred to Cloud by his first name, and that was fine with the swordsman; although, Tirsa had been giving some thought over calling him something more familiar. She decided to bring it up over lunch; they'd stopped off at a hot dog cart for a quick bite to eat, late in the afternoon.

They'd settled on one of the stone benches in the town square, eating quietly, as Tirsa rehearsed in her mind what she wanted to say. She wasn't quite sure why this meant so much to her; the man wasn't her biological father, but Tirsa felt an unexpected bond with Cloud. It surprised the normally mistrusting girl to feel a connection like that with any adult, particularly one she'd only just met. Even though they weren't blood relations, Cloud _was_ being a very good stepfather to the girl, and Reno was shaping up to be a decent, though slightly unconventional father to the girl.

"Hey, uh...Cloud?" Tirsa said hesitantly, suddenly feeling quite shy about asking the question. "Is it okay...if I call you..." She paused, blushing, as her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Call me what?" Cloud prodded gently, wadding up the ketchup packets and napkins from his hasty lunch.

"...Like, uh...dad, or something," Tirsa mumbled awkwardly, looking at her shoes. "It's okay if you say no -"

Cloud smiled, feeling moved by Tirsa's question. "Of course you can," he replied. "But, ah...it might get confusing, too, if you call Reno the same exact thing."

"Oh yeah," Tirsa said, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. "I forgot about that...well, I'll just have to think of something clever, then! It'll be a surprise!" she said, grinning at Cloud.

"Uh oh," Cloud murmured, chuckling. "Should I be scared?" He threw his trash into the nearby garbage bin as Tirsa did the same; then, they gathered their purchases and shopping bags.

"Speaking of surprises," Cloud added, "let's get that present for your dad, and then we'll go home."

"Oh yeah, what are we getting him, anyway?" Tirsa asked, quickening her step to keep pace with Cloud's.

"You'll see in a minute," Cloud said with a mysteriously smile, as he entered the jeweler's store, waving for Tirsa to follow along behind him.

* * *

><p>After the Turks had sealed the room where the parasitic alien life form had emerged from its human host's body, a tired Reno bid farewell to his fellow Turks, stopping off at the Shinra infirmary before leaving, so that his burn wound could be re-bandaged. The flesh was healing nicely; Reno realized how lucky he was that the thing hadn't been able to fling acid in his <em>face<em>. He winced, imagining how awful an acid burn would have felt in the eye.

As soon as the wound was cleaned and re-bandaged, Reno was on his way home. He decided he could manage the short walk, knowing that Cloud had the car, and was probably still out and about with Tirsa doing their shopping. Reno was surprised, then, to hear voices inside the apartment as he stood outside the door, fumbling for his keys.

Entering, he saw Tirsa and Cloud standing over the breakfast bar in the kitchen, staring down at some small object, giggling and whispering conspiratorially. They didn't even notice that Reno had come home early, until he entered the kitchen.

"Shit," Cloud muttered, caught red-handed. "He's home..." Cloud did a double take as he regarded his husband – something was wrong. Reno's posture was slouched, and his demeanor was not his usual happy-go-lucky mood. Reno caught Cloud's gaze and gave him a pointed look at Tirsa, as if to say_, talk about it later, but not in front of her._

"Well, it's nice to see you too, babe," Reno cracked, arching an eyebrow suspiciously as he forced a grin. "What's that you got there?" he asked, nodding toward the small box that Cloud had quickly grabbed, squirrelling it away behind his back.

"Nothing," Cloud lied, exchanging a guilty glance with Tirsa. He was a horrible liar, and Reno knew it, he could tell by the look on Cloud's face that something was being hidden from him, and Reno being Reno – it was driving him to distraction. He just _had_ to find out what Cloud was hiding behind his back.

"Come on, let me see," Reno needled him, trying to reach behind Cloud for the small package.

"No, it's a surprise!" Tirsa interrupted excitedly, moving in front of Reno trying to prevent him from grabbing the package.

"A surprise for what?" Reno asked suspiciously, arching an eyebrow. He groaned, and stepped back, shaking his head. "I hope you didn't go crazy for my birthday, Cloud," he complained. "You know I don't like to make a big deal out of it."

"Yeah, well, Tirsa and I _did_ want to make a big deal out of it. And she helped me pick it out," Cloud explained.

"Oh, well…in that case, I guess I can make an exception," Reno said, smiling as he hugged Tirsa into his side. He was still shaken from what he'd seen in the med lab, the John Doe being used as a human host. Reno also learned, just prior to leaving Headquarters, that the Jane Doe – the child they'd brought in – had died during an ill-fated operation. Shinra's doctors had attempted surgery to remove the alien parasite from the girl's stomach, but the girl bled out, and passed into the Lifestream.

_Nothing any kid should have to endure_, Reno thought, while looking at his daughter_. Fuck, that's nothing **anyone** should have to endure. _The pasted-on smile fell from Reno's face as he replayed the scene over again in his mind, of the alien parasite bursting out of the chest of the John Doe. He frowned, trying to connect the two elements in his mind - that small but deadly beast, with the larger biped he'd only glimpsed but a shadow of, in the air duct of his neighbor's apartment.

"Dad?" Tirsa said, trying to get Reno's attention. "What's the matter?"

"Ah…nothing, baby," Reno replied, sighing. "Just…it's been a rough day, okay? Nothing I want to get into right now." He attempted a smile again, this time with more feeling behind it... "Maybe Cloud should let me open that present then," Reno added, chuckling. _Gods only know, I need a distraction_, he thought_. I try not to bring shit home from work, but this…if it becomes an epidemic, it's not something any of us will be able to ignore…_

"It's not your birthday yet," Cloud deadpanned, then broke into a full grin as Reno kept trying to reach around him to grab the small package. "Gods, you are just like a kid – " Cloud complained in a teasing tone.

"Shouldn't we wrap it, at least?" Tirsa said doubtfully. "I really hope you'll like it, dad."

"So, I can open it now? Can I? Hey, give it up, Strife," Reno teased, reaching behind Cloud again. This time, Cloud let him have the small package.

"Yes," Cloud replied. "You can open it now. And you're also going to be having a cake."

"A cake?" Reno echoed, a slight whine to his voice. "You know, you spoil me, Cloud…"

"It goes both ways," Cloud interjected. "And besides…Tirsa _wants_ you to have a cake," he added, in a tone that said _this is not up for debate._

"Okay then," Reno said, sighing in mock exasperation, nodding at Cloud. _Message received_, he thought_. Hell, if my kid wants me to have a cake that badly, how can I say no to that?_ Reno began unwrapping the tiny box, wrapped in turquoise foil-type paper, with a miniature silver bow on top. "Looks dainty, yo. I'm not the dainty _type_, you know —"

"Will you just shut up and open it already?" Cloud interrupted, laughing and rolling his eyes. "He's always like this, Tirsa," he added in an aside to the girl, who was giggling.

"What do you mean by that, Cloud?" Reno muttered, winking at his daughter. "Oh…wow…" His mouth hung open briefly as he opened the small box; inside was a white-gold pendant on a thin chain, a small piece of what appeared to be materia mounted within the setting. The jewel glowed strangely, and appeared to be made of two colors of materia; one side was fiery red, the other was a cool, glowing bluish-green turquoise shade that seemed to match Reno's eyes.

"What…is this, Cloud? Materia?" Reno asked, as he examined the pendant. "It's…wow. I'm not big on jewelry, 'cept for my earrings, but this is beautiful. You picked this out, huh Tirsa?"

"Well…I helped, kinda," Tirsa murmured shyly. "Do you like it? We...Cloud and I, we thought the red part matched your hair, and the blue part matched your eyes."

"Aww. I love it, yo," Reno told her, grinning from ear to ear. "I really do. Here, wanna help me put it on?"

"Okay…" Tirsa said hesitantly, taking the thin chain from Reno, she undid the clasp, then stood in front of Reno as he dipped his head down, lifting up the back of his hair to allow Tirsa access.

"It is materia," Cloud confirmed, grinning, pleased that Reno seemed to like his gift. "It's only a shard, though…of summon materia. It's not a big enough piece to actually summon anything…according to the guy who sold it to me, anyway."

"Huh," Reno murmured, interested. "What's the summon? Just so I don't, you know…accidentally summon something," he added, smirking.

"Hydra," Cloud replied. "It's allegedly some monster with multiple heads, and poisonous breath….and it's said to be a worse foe than even the Midgar Zolom….every time you cut off one of its heads, it grows two more."

"Multiple heads, eh?" Reno murmured, smirking at Cloud_. Kinky, yo_. Cloud rolled his eyes at Reno, correctly interpreting the Turk's lascivious gaze.

"Your hair…gods, you've got a lot of it," Tirsa commented, giggling, as she placed the chain around Reno's neck, and fastened the clasp . "Okay, there. I think I got it."

"Thanks," Reno said gratefully. "You're my sweet girl." He embraced his daughter tenderly, and pecked her on the cheek. The girl reacted nervously upon hearing the innocent sounding phrase of endearment, and almost wanted to shove Reno away. It was instinctual; her mother, Dayanara, had drilled it into her head that physical contact with any man was bad news. Yet, she'd hugged both Reno and Cloud before now, why was this bothering her?

_Him_, Tirsa thought with a shudder, suddenly remembering a face from her past – one of her mother's johns. One who had tried to take advantage of Tirsa one night, while Dayanara was sleeping. Tirsa heard that voice again, clear as day, that voice that still haunted her dreams, and her mind slipped back to that horrible day, the darkest day of her young life.

* * *

><p><em>"You're my sweet girl, Tirsa, darlin'," he'd drunkenly swooned at the then-ten year old girl. Dayanara had been lying next to him on the bed "C'mere…I just want to talk to you, tell you a little secret…"<em>

_"No, I can't," Tirsa had said primly, hands folded as she sat in a chair on the opposite side of the tiny rat-hole of an efficiency apartment that she and her mother called 'home.' She always remembered Dayanara's warnings: don't talk to the johns, never trust them, and to never, ever, let herself somehow end up alone with one of them._

_But she wasn't alone then, mama was dozing off in the bed, she would be awake soon, Tirsa was sure of it._

**_Wait a minute._**_ It was then that alarm bells started to sound off in Tirsa's brain. Mama would never just fall asleep like that, not when one of the men was around. Mama had two rules: if there was a man in their tiny apartment, Dayanara never left Tirsa unattended, if she was there. More often than not, she'd tell Tirsa to 'run along, now', while she turned tricks. And that was Dayanara's second unspoken rule: never, never in a million years, would she take a man into her bed with her daughter present in the room._

_Something had gone wrong that night. Something had gone terribly wrong, and Tirsa couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Tirsa curled her fingers around the strap of her backpack, the worn bag of cloth that contained her life; the instinct to flee suddenly building in her, though gods knew, she didn't want to leave her mother all alone with that man, not if something was wrong._

_"C'mere," the john repeated, leering. Tirsa suddenly noticed that the man – an oafish looking brute - had one hand out, idly cupping Dayanara's right breast as she lay against him, drooling, her head lolling about._

**_Drooling_**_. Mama….was passed out. This was not good._

_"I…have to go. I have to…meet some friends," Tirsa told the man in a near whisper, gripping her backpack as she inched toward the door, back to the wall, never taking her eyes off of the man._

_"Y'aint going nowhere, ya little bitch," the man growled, dropping Dayanara like a sack as he launched himself toward Tirsa. "Gonna see if the daughter's as much fun as the mother."_

_Tirsa turned and ran toward the door, but was pulled back when she felt a heavy hand close upon her shoulder, jerking her so hard she fell to the floor. The hand then wrenched her around, and slapped her hard across the face._

_"Mama!" Tirsa screamed in fear, trying to scramble backwards in a sick sort of crab-walk toward the door, as the man lunged for her._

_"Mama ain't gonna help you now, little girl," the man snapped, an ugly sneer on his face. "I made sure of that…slipped her a mickey, so I could have some private time with you. Paid the Don a little extra for the privilege, too."_

_If Tirsa hadn't been afraid for her life at that moment, she might have vomited. So…it was like that. Had Mama known this would happen? Had she knowingly sold her daughter's virginity? Or was it Don Corneo's doing?_

_As the brute grabbed Tirsa by her leg – all the while, the poor, terrified girl was kicking out at the monster of a man – Mama appeared, just behind the man, pointing a gun at his head._

_"You get off of my daughter right now, you son of a bitch," Dayanara said in a snarl, cocking the hammer back. The man growled and spun, grabbing the barrel of the gun in his hand, as Dayanara fired, the bullet penetrating his gut._

_"Fucking whore…" he sputtered, blood bubbling through his lips. His hand was still clenched around the barrel of the gun, and with his last bit of strength, he turned the weapon on Dayanara and fired, the bullet piercing her lung and severing a major artery._

_"No…" she whispered, eyes wide as she sank to the floor. By now, the man was gone, stumbled out the door, moments away from bleeding out and dying outside, in the gutter. Tirsa screamed and ran over to where her mother lay, kneeling over the dying woman._

_"Mama, I'll get one of the girls, you'll be okay, mama, please," Tirsa had pleaded, holding her mother's hand._

_"No, honey, it's too late," Dayanara said softly, her breath hitching as her lung began to collapse. "Listen to me, baby. That man…he drugged me, I never would have let him – " She paused, coughing up blood, as Tirsa looked on, alarmed. "Your daddy," she went on, speaking as rapidly as she could, knowing her time was growing short. "Gods forgive me, I never told you who he was…and I never told him you existed. He never knew I was pregnant, Tirsa…please forgive me, baby."_

_"Of course I forgive you, mama," Tirsa said, crying. "Who…who was he, mama? Who was my father?" She blanched, fearing the answer, always having assumed she was fathered by some unknown john, as many of the slum children were that lived in the area._

_"His name…is Reno," Dayanara told her, gasping for air. "Reno...you look so much like him, dear Tirsa. We were crazy and young, and in love...Last I had heard, he went to work for Shinra…he always told me he was going to be a Turk. Maybe he made it after all…I hope he did, if anyone could make it as a Turk…it would be Reno."_

_"Mama? Mama!" Tirsa screamed as she saw the light leave her mother's eyes, Dayanara's head slumping over to the side. "Don't go!"_

_"I have to, baby. They're waiting for me. Promise me, that you'll find Reno…find your dad…" With that, she took her last breath, a peaceful smile on her face._

_Tirsa wept, then gathered up the few possessions she had, shoved them into her pack, and kissed her mother's still-warm cheek, closing the eyelids over unseeing eyes. Wiping the flood of tears, she glanced back one more time into the tiny hovel, whispering "I love you mama," and left._

* * *

><p>Reno and Cloud stood there as Tirsa burst into tears and ran to her room as the girl relived that whole unbearable scene in her mind, triggered so easily by Reno's innocent comment. "What'd I say, man?" Reno asked Cloud, honestly perplexed. "I…don't know what just happened. It was like, she zoned out for a moment there, and just started crying hysterically."<p>

"I don't know what happened," Cloud said, shaking his head, clearly worried. "Maybe we should talk to her?"

"I guess," Reno said, a bit glumly. "I feel like it must have been my fault…something I did, or something I said…"

"You didn't say or do anything out of the ordinary, Reno," Cloud murmured, shrugging his shoulders. "So…I don't know what happened there either. Come on," he encouraged, nodding his head. "If she wants to talk, we'll listen. That's all we can do."

"You're a better father than I am, and she ain't even your kid," Reno commented morosely, sighing.

"That's not true and you know it," Cloud argued. "Come _on_." They slowly walked down the hallway toward Tirsa's bedroom, and Reno nudged the door open gingerly. "Tirsa?" he called softly. "What's the matter?"

Reno and Cloud heard muted sniffling from Tirsa, muffled as she had enshrouded herself underneath the comforter on her bed. "I'm…sorry," Tirsa said softly through broken sobs. "I – I just…" She swallowed hard before going on, sticking her head out from the bedcovers as she wiped her eyes.

"I remembered everything. From the night mama died," she explained. "Oh god, it all came back to me...that man, that awful man..."

"What man?" Reno asked gently, sitting on the edge of Tirsa's bed. "I'm...sorry, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, it's obviously upsetting you. I thought it was something I said, that you were upset with me," he added.

"Oh no!" Tirsa said, shaking her head. "It wasn't you, I just...remembered that bad man calling me a sweet girl...it's stupid, but it made me remember...that day. That awful day. He killed her, that man..."

"She was murdered, then," Reno said in a near-whisper. He hadn't pressed Tirsa to tell him how Dayanara had died, not wanting to upset the girl; and, given Dayanara's line of work, it didn't come as a complete surprise that she died at the hands of another. It was something Reno had seen a lot of, growing up on the streets, and then in his career as a Turk. Prostitutes were killed by an angry john or pimp very frequently, and when it happened, people rarely blinked an eye - it was just part of the life.

_She wasn't just some whore_, Reno thought angrily, swallowing hard. _She was my girl, back then. The mother of my child, her life just snuffed out...just like that. _Reno wanted to know more, he wanted to know the details, but he didn't want to upset Tirsa anymore. "You were there when it happened," Reno stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah...I was," Tirsa said, nodding sadly. "I think I told you that, but I didn't tell you...how she died trying to protect me. And _how_ she died. I know...you wanted to know how it happened."

"Only if you want to talk about it, Tirsa," Reno said slowly and evenly, gazing at Tirsa. _So much hurt in her life, so much...I should have been there, damn it..._

"I guess what happened was, one of her...ah, customers..." Tirsa couldn't bring herself to say what the man was, she still carried that shame of her mother's profession, though it made her feel guilty to feel such shame, even after her mother's death. She cleared her throat and started again. "One of the men...he had paid Don Corneo extra so he could...so he could..." She couldn't finish the sentence, the knowledge of what could have happened was bad enough; Reno and Cloud both looked horror-struck, though neither one was really surprised, they knew what Don Corneo was all about.

"Glad he's dead, gods damn it," Reno growled, his eyebrows furrowed in an angry frown. _Death is too good for that son of a bitch, really_, he thought. His expression softening, Reno spoke to Tirsa. "So this asshole try something with you, honey?"

"He tried," Tirsa went on, the tears welling up in her eyes again, "but mama stopped him. She had a gun. And she shot him...then he shot her...I guess he died later, I don't know. I didn't stick around long enough to find out. I just...I said goodbye to her after she stopped breathing, and I ran and ran." A choking sound came from Cloud, and he cleared his throat as Reno and Tirsa looked up at him.

"I think should let you two talk alone," Cloud said, suddenly feeling as if he was intruding, and moved toward the door to exit Tirsa's bedroom.

"No!" Tirsa cried, launching herself at Cloud, hugging him as he stood in the doorway. She buried her head just under his shoulder, sniffling.

"Don't go, daddy," she begged, crying. "Please..."

"I..." Cloud began, stunned by Tirsa's sudden outpouring of emotion - not to mention, how she'd addressed him. "Of course...I'll stay if you want me to." He hugged the girl tightly, trying like hell not to lose it himself. "I'm so sorry, Tirsa," Cloud whispered. "That you went through all of that."

"Me too," Tirsa said, making a snuffling sound as she looked over at Reno. "Dad..." she called to him, her arm outstretched.

"Tirsa," Reno whispered, trying to keep his voice steady. Like Cloud, he felt his emotions about to break through, after what Tirsa had just revealed to them both about her mother's death. He walked over to Tirsa and Cloud, hugging them both.

"Nobody will ever hurt you again, Tirsa," Reno said softly, stroking his daughter's auburn hair. "Not as long as I'm around, _nobody_ hurts my family."

"That's right," Cloud said firmly. He released Tirsa and Reno and stepped back, smiling down at the girl. "We're a family now, Tirsa. Maybe we're not exactly conventional, but who cares," he added, snorting a laugh.

"I love you guys," Tirsa said, her bottom lip trembling as she wiped her eyes. "I really do. I'm sorry I was an asshole and stole from you, too."

Reno laughed. "We love you too, Tirsa. And hey, we've almost forgotten about that, you trying to steal our shit," he told her. "Just don't do it again."

Tirsa shook her head, smiling. "I won't," she promised. She sighed brokenly, as the urge to cry ceased. "I think I want to take a shower," Tirsa declared, still rubbing her eyes. "I kinda have a headache from crying."

"Of course, go right ahead," Reno said, nodding. "And we'll order Wutaian take-out later, sound good?"

"Oh yeah!" Tirsa replied happily. "I've only had Wutaian food like, once or twice. But I remember it was really tasty." She crooked a finger conspiratorially at Cloud, motioning him to come closer, and as he bent down, whispered in his ear.

"Don't forget dad's cake," she reminded him, grinning.

"I won't," he vowed, smiling at the girl. Reno arched an eyebrow as Tirsa happily ran off into the bathroom.

"And what was that all about?" he demanded, smirking at Cloud.

"Nothing," Cloud teased. "Just that you're getting a birthday cake whether you like it or not." He lowered his voice slightly, stepping closer to Reno. "She told me she's only had birthday cake once in her _life_, and she absolutely loved it. So...no complaints from you, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Reno said, giving a mock salute to Cloud as he winked at him. He pulled Cloud into an embrace, capturing the soft lips within his own in a tender kiss. "So you're the daddy now, huh?" he murmured, nibbling along Cloud's collarbone. "I like that."

"I guess so," Cloud replied, a quiet moan slipping out as Reno licked and nipped all the right spots along his neck. "She wanted to know - earlier she asked me - what she could call me - oh _gods_, Reno," Cloud murmured, his voice fading to a quiet whimper. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" Reno murmured, brushing his lips against Cloud's ear. Cloud growled and pushed Reno back against the wall.

"You know," Cloud purred, looking up at Reno through half-lidded eyes. He grabbed Reno by the back of the head, grasping the base of his ponytail while he kissed him passionately. "I should make _you_ call _me_ daddy, when we're in bed," Cloud whispered, animal lust in his eyes as he stared into Reno's. He kissed Reno again, then froze as he heard a door open, followed by quick footsteps down the hallway.

"I forgot my towel - " Tirsa began, then stopped as she saw Reno and Cloud, caught in a compromising position against the wall.

"Awkward," Reno muttered. "Well...at least we're not naked!" he said brightly. Cloud and Tirsa collectively groaned.

"Please, Reno...don't traumatize her," Cloud deadpanned. "It's been a rough enough day already, hasn't it?"

Tirsa laughed nervously, as she went to the linen closet to retrieve a bath towel. "Ah...do you two want to be alone or something? I can go to Tifa's..." she offered.

"Nah, no need for that, Tirsa," Reno told her. He knit his brows together, thinking. "But hey, you still have those earplugs, right honey?"

"_Dad_!" Tirsa protested, blushing bright pink. "Oh my..." She made a face, grabbing a bath towel. "Gods, my father is a pig," she muttered, red-faced and giggling.

"He really is," Cloud agreed, nodding, a huge grin on his face as he chuckled along with Tirsa. Reno was beginning to feel like the two were ganging up on him. _Nice to see the two of them bonding so well_, he thought with a wry grin, _but it's at my expense!_

"Hey!" Reno blurted, in mock indignation. "I am _not_ a pig! I just happen to love my husband, that's all!"

"I think this would be a good time for me to phone in our take-out order," Cloud interjected diplomatically. "I'll pick it up. Tirsa, do you like hot pot and crab Rangoon?" The question was met with an enthusiastic nod. "Good," Cloud replied. "Reno, I'll just order our usual, then," he told him, giving Reno a quick kiss as he passed him by, heading out toward the kitchen.

"Ey, ah….Tirsa," Reno said awkwardly, scratching his head. "Sorry about that just now. The last thing I want to do, is to make you feel uncomfortable."

Tirsa shrugged her shoulders and gave a small smile. "Well...I guess I should be glad that you guys love each other so much, right? I've always wondered what it'd be like, you know?" she continued, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Growing up in a normal family..."

"We ain't normal," Reno cracked, smirking until he noticed Tirsa's serious expression. "Well...you know what I mean...like Cloud said, we're not exactly a conventional family, I suppose."

"Maybe not," Tirsa said, "but you're the only 'normal' I have in my life right now. I'm gonna take my shower now," she told Reno.

"Okay," Reno replied, nodding. "Cloud might even be back here with our food, by the time you're done."

* * *

><p>Not long thereafter, Cloud returned with the food order, and he, Reno and Tirsa gathered around the kitchen table, divvying up everything amongst themselves. Tirsa was thrilled to see that Cloud had also picked up a small birthday cake for Reno while he was out.<p>

"Ooh, and it has pink and purple flowers on it!" Tirsa squealed excitedly. "The frosting is all sparkly and glittery, too, how pretty!" she added admiringly.

"Very masculine, isn't it," Reno commented, rolling his eyes. "You know, pink and purple flowers are probably more Tirsa's speed anyway - "

"Well Reno, I picked it out with her in mind," Cloud admitted, chuckling. "Since you're so anti-birthday and all."

"I'm not anti-birthday!" Reno said vehemently. "I just...never bothered celebrating much, growing up..." he muttered, shrugging his shoulders. "But I guess I have no choice in the matter now, not with you two..." He smirked at Tirsa and winked.

Rolling his eyes theatrically, Cloud opened a box of birthday candles as soon as they were done eating, and stuck several into the small, round cake, lighting them with Reno's cigarette lighter. "Okay," Cloud said, placing the cake on the table in front of Reno. "Now make a wish and blow."

Reno choked, doubling over with laughter, as Cloud groaned. "Gods," he muttered. "I should know better than to use that word in a sentence with you. Especially in front of your daughter. What kind of an impression do you suppose you're making on her?" he chastised Reno.

"I'm just being me," Reno said with an air of mock innocence. "That's all."

"It's okay," Tirsa said reassuringly, grinning. "I don't mind you being so goofy. I'll let you know if you ever get _too_ embarrassing, though," she told him.

"Oh, great," Reno said, sniggering. "Well...guess I'd better make my birthday wish, then, eh?" Reno smiled and closed his eyes, thinking for a moment.

"You know," Reno said suddenly, opening his eyes as he glanced at Tirsa and Cloud . "I really can't think of anything to wish for. I have everything I want, right here." He shook his head quickly, blinking a stray tear out of his eye as he bent down to blow the candles. After extinguishing them, Reno cleared his throat and smiled.

"I made a wish, but I ain't tellin' what it is," he said, with a decided leer at Cloud. "Cause then it won't come true."

"Can we just cut the cake please?" Tirsa said impatiently, licking her lips in anticipation, the scent of the buttercream frosting nearly overwhelming her senses. "I can't wait to try it!"

"Of course!" Reno said cheerfully, getting up to grab a serrated knife from the cutlery block sitting upon the counter. He sliced the cake up, and gave the first piece to Tirsa, who immediately speared the sparkly pink frosting rose with her finger, putting it in her mouth. She closed her eyes as she let the icing melt in her mouth, making a pleased sound.

"This is really good," Tirsa murmured around a mouthful of frosting and cake, sighing contentedly.

"It is," Reno mumbled, finishing his cake. "Thanks, babe," he said, smiling at Cloud. "Everything was awesome."

"You're welcome," Cloud said. "And happy early birthday," he told Reno, grinning.

"I think I want to go to bed soon," Tirsa said, yawning and stretching. "Ugh," she groaned, suddenly remembering. "I have school tomorrow!"

"Actually, tomorrow's a day off," Cloud reminded her. "Some Presidential holiday or something or other. School won't begin for you until the day after tomorrow, Tirsa."

"Seriously?" Reno interjected. "Hey, wait a minute. How come I've gotta work, then? I should have the day off too, yo."

Tirsa giggled and yawned again. "I don't know, dad," she said tiredly. Tirsa shuffled over toward Reno, giving him a small hug, then doing the same with Cloud. "Good night..."

"Good night, Tirsa," Cloud called after her as she walked over to her room. "Sleep well."

"Well," Cloud said, as he heard Tirsa's bedroom door shut. He took a seat next to Reno on the sofa. "Seems she's adjusting pretty well...given everything she's been through."

"Yeah," Reno said, shaking his head as he recalled what Tirsa had revealed about the circumstances surrounding Dayanara's death. "You know, that fucker is lucky Dayanara shot him, because if he hadn't? I'd track his ass down, and I'd fucking kill him," he added, grimly.

"I know you would," Cloud said, nodding. With a sly grin on his face, Cloud pushed Reno on his back on the couch and straddled him, grinding his pelvis against Reno's.

"Fuck," Reno gasped, automatically bucking his hips up, as Cloud seemed to set his nerve endings alight with every touch, every soft stroke of the fingertips that were lightly gliding up and down his arm.

"Bedroom?" Cloud whispered in Reno's ear, his tongue darting out briefly to tease along the outside of it. "Quietly, of course," he added, smirking.

"Yeah," Reno said, feeling rather dazed. "Quietly..." With that they moved from the couch, kissing and groping as they made their way down the hallway to the master bedroom. Cloud discreetly shut the door once they were inside.

"Think she's asleep?" Reno whispered inquisitively. Cloud nodded. "Uh, well...probably. I would guess that she is, anyway. She seemed awfully tired."

"All that shopping you two did," Reno teased. He sat on the bed, pulling Cloud along with him. "Conspiring against me for my birthday..."

"It looks good on you," Cloud whispered, his fingers reaching out and grasping the thin, silver chain of the materia pendant.

"I love it, I really do," Reno said appreciatively. "It means a lot, yo, that you and Tirsa picked something out together like that."

"You're welcome," Cloud replied, suddenly feeling self-conscious. In the semi-darkness of the bedroom, he felt himself blush, and was grateful for the cover of night to hide behind. "I...wanted to do something..."

"It was really nice, Cloud," Reno murmured, then gasped as he felt hands wandering down the front of his pants, slipping inside to stroke the hard flesh within. "So...so is that," he stammered dumbly. "That...that's nice, too." Cloud chuckled, working the zipper of Reno's pants down, easing them off. Reno half-sat up, tearing his shirt off, as Cloud did the same. Then they embraced, flesh to flesh as they kissed, Cloud's tongue dipping into the hollow below Reno's throat.

"Oh fuck _me_," Reno muttered, arching his back like a pleased cat, as Cloud continued tonguing along his neck.

"Is that a request?" Cloud asked, his voice edged with mischief.

"Maybe," Reno replied, snickering. "If you're, you know, up for it."

"Oh, I'm up, all right," Cloud said with a chuckle. He removed his own pants, and lightly stroked himself, moaning loudly as he did so. "Oh gods, _yeah_," he added breathlessly. "I'm up...oh, fuck!" Reno yelped, as he felt some slightly-cooler-than-room-temperature lube being applied to him. He hissed as he felt Cloud's fingers teasingly trail along his hard cock; then, carefully, he plunged them into Reno, one at a time.

"Don't be so loud!" Cloud scolding him, kissing Reno hard in an attempt to quiet him. It didn't work.

"Ungh," Reno grunted, as softly as he could muster, moaning into Cloud's open mouth. As Cloud pressed his body onto Reno's, the redhead moaned again, a bit louder this time.

"You're going to wake her up!" Cloud chastised Reno, hissing at him.

"Nuh uh," Reno muttered stubbornly, shaking his head. "Am not...oh fuck, Cloud, just _do me_ already," he demanded, whining. "Big fucking tease."

"It's called foreplay, Reno," Cloud retorted. "You remember _foreplay_, don't you?"

"No," Reno muttered. "I mean - yes. I remember. But the way you do it Cloud, borders on fucking _torture_."

"Is that a complaint?" Cloud murmured, slicking his member up with lubricant, and positioning the head of his cock near Reno's entrance.

"N-n-no," Reno stuttered, arching his back as Cloud entered him in a single thrust. "Cloud...oh gods, Cloud. _Harder_," he instructed, trying like hell to keep his voice down. Reno knew they'd have to be quiet and quick, the last thing he wanted was Tirsa walking in on them, and he wasn't entirely sure the girl was fast asleep…though he fervently hoped so.

"We need to soundproof the walls or something," Cloud whispered, a bead of sweat running off of his forehead as he pulled out of Reno, then pushed himself back in even harder. "Oh _shit_," Cloud groaned, hissing as he felt Reno's nails rake his back, the lanky legs wrapping around his slim hips.

"Love you," Reno whispered, grunting as he tightened his legs even more around Cloud, who was bracing himself by gripping the headboard tightly, eyes shut as he felt himself come undone.

"Reno," Cloud said hoarsely, his pulse continuing to race as the blood roared in his ears. "I love you…"

Reno moaned, his erection sandwiched in between his body and Cloud's; the friction was driving him mad, and he was about to lose control altogether. "Yeah…oh yeah," he muttered, panting hard, his hand working up and down his cock, rapidly stroking himself to orgasm. "Almost…there…"

Cloud placed his hands on either side of Reno's shoulders, and kissed him deeply, stifling a moan as he came hard, spilling into Reno. With a soft cry Cloud finished, collapsing on Reno's chest, completely spent. Reno sped up his strokes, biting his lip to keep from crying out as he peaked, a rush of liquid heat flooding upward, covering his abdomen and Cloud's.

They lay there entwined afterward, unable and unwilling to move for a few minutes, until Reno finally sighed and stretched. "Need shower," he grunted, barely capable of coherent speech.

"Same," Cloud agreed, groaning as he stretched and got out of bed. He sprinted into the adjoining master bathroom, and started up the shower; Reno stepped in behind him, both basking in the hot, steamy water.

"That feels good," Reno purred, lathering up his hair. He grinned at Cloud, eyes tightly shut as he rinsed his blond spikes underneath the showerhead. "Well…doesn't feel as good as _you_ babe, but ya know what I mean...gods, I'm fucking sore," he added, groaning as the hot water hit his face. Reno shook his head under the water to rinse out the suds from his hair.

"Nice," Cloud commented, shaking the water out of his head before stepping out of the shower. Reno followed him moments later, and both stood in the middle of the bathroom, toweling off their hair.

"You think she heard us?" Reno asked hesitantly, a guilty look on his face.

"No, I don't think so," Cloud replied, shaking his head. He pulled on a pair of sleep pants, then ran his hand through his hair, finger-styling the spikes. "I mean…I didn't hear anything – " Cloud paused, frowning, as he heard a scratching noise, it sounded as if it was coming from within the wall.

"Did you hear that, Reno?" Cloud asked suspiciously, eyes darting around the bathroom, trying to locate the source of the sound.

"I did," Reno muttered, eyes narrowing as they traveled across the room, instantly wary. He heard another sound, a louder one – a skittering noise that seemed to travel over their heads in the ceiling, heading out to the hallway. Cloud frowned at Reno, then dashed into the hallway, trailing the sound.

"What the – " Cloud sputtered, looking up at the ceiling in horror as an alien, reptilian looking pair of clawed hands shot through the air conditioning duct, snatching Cloud by the head and pulling him up into the air shaft.

"No!" Reno howled, he was right behind Cloud, and grabbed onto his feet, trying like hell to pull him back out. Tirsa's bedroom door flew open upon hearing all of the noise.

"_Dad_!" Tirsa shrieked, terrified. "Dad, what's happening!"

"They're – trying to take Cloud – those fuckers – god damn it, you let go of him, you overgrown lizard!" Reno shouted, still holding onto Cloud's feet, but the beast pulling him into the shaft was proving to be much too strong, Reno was losing his grip. "Tirsa!" Reno barked. "Call Tseng – my cell phone, on my dresser, he's in my contacts – we need help!"

"I will!" Tirsa shouted, her voice wavering with fear. She ran into the bedroom, hands shaking as she located the cell phone and called up Reno's contacts, and quickly dialed Tseng, telling him what had happened the moment she heard him pick up the phone. Tseng assured her that he and the rest of the Turks would be there right away, and Tirsa thanked him, ending the call.

She ran back into the hallway, horrified to see Reno staring up at a hole in the ceiling, bits of torn drywall littering the carpeting.

"What….oh no_, where's daddy_?" Tirsa cried, bursting into tears as she fell into Reno's arms. "They took him…why did they take him…this isn't fair…I knew it, I _knew_ something bad was going to happen…nothing good ever lasts, never ever does…"

Reno wrapped his arms around Tirsa in a tight hug and attempted to calm her, though he felt anything _but_ calm himself. "Shh, honey, don't think like that," Reno murmured, trying to quiet Tirsa's fears, while trying to reassure himself at the same time, that somehow Cloud was safe, and that they would find him soon.

"Cloud will be okay, Tirsa," Reno said softly, cradling his daughter in his arms as she sobbed brokenly. The family she'd always wanted seemed to be disappearing before her eyes, and she was devastated.

"He will be okay," Reno repeated. "Cloud is one of the strongest men I know, if not the strongest man I know. We'll find him…soon as Tseng gets here, we'll make a plan, and we'll go after him."

_Gods, I pray that we do find him,_ Reno thought, looking forlornly at the gaping hole in the ceiling, just above his head. _Before it's too late._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! Finally, I got this thing finished and edited. :) I had written a bunch and scrapped it, started over, and...finally ended up with this. Please read, review, and enjoy.**

**So, yeah...the Hydra summon materia...I made up a new summon. :) This will play a greater part in things in the next few chapters. And Tirsa's flashback...I'd had the whole thing mapped out of course, of how her mom died, but that bit kind of just took on a life of its own in this chapter. I wasn't even going to go into such great detail over things, but sometimes parts of the story just tell themselves, which is kind of what happened here. **

**Poor Reno. :I( At least he got some lovin' before Cloud was snatched away, right? **


	10. Without A Trace

The warrior xenomorph slumbered within the cocoon in the wall of their spacecraft, stirring as he heard his comrade - a male drone - return with the human, flung haphazardly over a shoulder as he entered the hive. As the warrior awoke, he slithered out of the cubbyhole nest in which he'd been resting. He made his way over to this new specimen, still unconcious from having been beaten about the head by the drone.

_Yes, this one might work,_ the warrior thought, breath coming out in an acidic cloud of mist as he examined the human. He leaned his face in, dripping slime from his mandibles as a snake-like tongue emerged, licking Cloud's face from chin to forehead. Cloud groaned, moving about slowly as he came to.

Several drones now gathered, sniffing around Cloud, inspecting him. All instinctively realized that their prisoner was stronger than the average human, and might succeed in incubating an alien Queen, where the other human hosts they'd taken had failed. The group of drones prepared a space in the wall, where they planned on keeping Cloud cocooned, until such time as a facehugger alien was ready to hatch from the egg, and latch onto Cloud's face. Two of them gathered some items that would serve as a barricade to keep Cloud imprisoned within the wall. The other drone began secreting the sticky resin that worked like a glue, but would harden to an almost cement-like consistency around Cloud and the barricade, effectively trapping him.

As Cloud began to regain consciousness, he struggled there in the dark against his restraints, but was unable to move his feet or his hands. He opened his eyes, and realized he was suspended from a wall, looking straight down at the floor. "What - what am I doing here?" he mumbled, the adrenaline racing as he fought against the hardened cocoon he was now imprisoned within. "How...did I get here?" His mind quickly flashed back to being snatched through the ventilation shaft by the alien. It had all happened so quickly, Cloud barely had time to react and to defend himself. He rubbed his head, it was sore; perhaps the thing had beaten him over the head, or had otherwise hit him, Cloud wasn't sure.

He looked at his captors, glaring at the beasts as he studied him. It gave him a chill of terror to realize that they had no eyes, at least, none that he could see. The Warrior xenomorph, standing much taller than the drones, moved in closer to Cloud, their faces just inches away from each other. The human smelled _magnificent_ to the Warrior, this was a specimen worthy enough to carry a queen. He inhaled deeply, emitting a low growl of approval, then extended his secondary mouth slowly, barely touching Cloud's forehead with it. Cloud instinctively drew back from the creature, eyes widening as he saw the second set of teeth working, slime dripping from the thing's powerful jaws . He attempted moving his arms again, but they were stuck fast, immobilized in the cocoon the drone xenomorphs had prepared for him.

"You're one ugly son of a bitch," Cloud muttered, staring at the alien. It unnerved Cloud somewhat, not being able to look his enemy in the eye, seeing it lacked such appendages. The tongue re-emerged, snake-like, from the alien's secondary mouth, and licked Cloud's face again; this time, the swordsman was conscious enough to know what was going on.

"Fuck, get off of me!" Cloud snapped, feeling a slight burn on his skin where the tongue had licked him. The creature's saliva was acidic like its blood, but it was much more diluted. The xenomorph drew back at Cloud's outburst, hissing. As the creature backed up, he seemed to intently study an object on the floor that had previously been hidden from Cloud's view, while the xenomorph stood in front of it. Now, Cloud was hanging in such a position that he could see what was happening; a large, spherical shape - quite like a chocobo egg, but much larger.

He heard a soft, moist sound, followed by a slight hiss of air, then - a pulse? It was faint, but audible enough where Cloud could discern it, a thumping sound like a heartbeat. A rustling sound followed, and a strange smell caused Cloud to shrink back a bit into the wall. The pulse grew louder...stronger...craning his neck out, Cloud looked out and down at the floor, and gasped in horror.

The spherical object had been a huge egg, and it had hatched, four flaps of the leathery covering opened up in a cloverleaf pattern. Inside, a pale, shuddering _thing_ came to life, convulsing as it drew in breath. It looked like a giant crustacean, lacking a hard shell that one would see with a lobster. Clawed appendages, resembling long, bony fingers, slowly emerged from the egg, gripping the flaps of the egg's exterior, as it pulled itself up and out of its resting place.

_Oh shit. _Cloud turned his head quickly - almost violently, trying to avoid the inevitable, but there was no escape. The facehugger, curling its tail into a spring, launched itself from the egg and attached itself to Cloud's face, the bony fingers grasping around his skull. The long tail curled itself around Cloud's neck as he struggled; then, a fleshy, phallic apparatus, much like a feeding tube came out of the facehugger's body, and forced itself down Cloud's throat, carrying air and nutrition - along with an embryonic alien, which was implanted far down in Cloud's esophagus. He gagged and choked, trying to bite down on the damnable thing, hoping to get it to detach, but to no avail.

Eventually, sleep overtook Cloud, as the facehugger induced a comatose state in Cloud, keeping him alive by supplying nutrition and oxygen while the parasite burrowed deep within Cloud's chest, attaching itself to a vein. The alien fetus took hold, stabbing a small stylus into the vein, much as a mosquito would do, leeching Cloud's mako-enhanced blood from his body.

A new xenomorph was now growing within Cloud. Soon, a queen would be born. And when that happened - Cloud would die.

* * *

><p>Tseng, Elena, and Rude had arrived at Reno and Cloud's apartment, and found the redheaded Turk sitting on the couch, consoling his very shaken up daughter.<p>

"Reno," Tseng said quietly, gently laying a hand on his Second's shoulder. "I'm sorry. We will find Cloud, and the Turks will do everything we can."

"Thank you, sir," Reno said softly, stroking Tirsa's hair as she wept brokenly. "Tirsa...she saw everything as it happened. I want her safe - "

"I'm evacuating Tifa and the children later," Rude told Reno, cutting in. "Edge is being taken over by these...things."

"Yes," Tseng said, nodding. "Certain sections of the city are being evacuated as we speak, by presidential order. The creatures have begun to multiply, and there have been a few more deaths..."

"Tirsa, honey?" Reno said, trying to get the girl to look at him. "Listen, we gotta talk Turk business here for a minute...why don't you grab a hot shower and pack a bag, yeah? Looks like we'll be evacuating here, just to be safe," he told her, exchanging a knowing glance with Tseng.

"Okay," she said through her tears, sniffling as she rubbed her eyes. "But I want to know everything when I come back, dad. I mean _everything_."

"Fine," Reno said wearily, realizing that his sharp-as-a-tack kid would just _know_ if he was keeping something from her, and would likely call him out for it. "We'll talk when you're all set." As Reno watched Tirsa padding off down the hallway, toward the bathroom, he turned back toward Tseng and hissed, "I need to find Cloud. First off, I'm going to need a couple of flamethrowers, some hand grenades, a semi-automatic - "

"Reno, please," Tseng pleaded, holding up his hand. "I realize how upset you are about Cloud, but one thing at a time here. We'll find him, and we will equip ourselves well before we depart."

"You realize," Reno said, frowning, "that if I didn't have my daughter to look after here, I woulda gone right up into that damned airshaft looking for Cloud, right?"

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you do have Tirsa then, Reno," Elena said dryly. "She's keeping you from doing something reckless like that."

"So what the hell would you do, huh?" Reno snapped, glaring at his fellow Turks. "Huh? All of you...you all saw what happened to our John Doe. That's probably what's happening to Cloud, they're planting one of those damned _things_ in him, and even if we _do_ find him, he's probably going to fucking die anyway." The words came out in a rush, as Reno choked back a sob. He was damned glad that Tirsa wasn't in the room to hear this, Reno didn't want his daughter to see him completely lose it; he had to stay strong, both for her - and for Cloud.

"You don't know that, Reno," Rude argued. "If...he's been infected, maybe the doctors can remove it - "

"And kill him in the process," Reno interrupted, shaking his head. "Look, I know what we're up against here...the outlook, quite frankly, fucking sucks." Reno sighed, and sat on the couch with his head in his hands, staring at the floor.

"Surgical removal of the alien parasite might not necessarily kill one such as Cloud," Tseng said thoughtfully. "After all...none of the victims that we know of were mako-enhanced as he is."

Reno looked up at Tseng, staring at him. "Yeah," he said hoarsely, a hint of a smile working the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, that's right. Cloud's...not your average human, is he. He's strong as hell." Reno frowned slightly, a troubled expression on his face. "But...the way that thing just grabbed him, man - I mean, its strength was unreal. And I could feel Cloud fighting him, when I was trying to pull him back through the ceiling duct." His voice broke slightly as he spoke, but Reno cleared his throat and went on.

"What we're dealing with is stronger than anything I've ever encountered before," Reno continued. "I mean - it makes the Midgar Zolom look like a child's plaything."

"That corresponds with the witness reports we've been getting most recently," Tseng said gravely. "Apparently, the creatures have an interesting apparatus within their mouths - a secondary mouth that resides within the first one. It can come out at great velocity...in one case, a woman saw an alien use the secondary mouth to pierce her husband's skull...it penetrated the brain, but did not kill him."

Elena visibly shuddered. "Why...would they bother doing that, if they're not going to kill him, though? They're going around causing brain damage, presumably, but why?"

"Because they're using us as human incubators," Reno concluded, nodding. "That's why. They're keeping the victims alive, Elena - immobilizing them, I guess, by pulling that trick with their mouths...it keeps them alive just enough to use them as fucking incubators for their spawn. Bastards," he spat. "I refuse to believe it's too late for Cloud," Reno went on. "I _have_ to think he's okay, because thinking of the alternative - "

"Then don't," Rude interrupted. "Don't think of the alternative." From what Rude had just seen and heard, however, he had his doubts as to whether or not Cloud would survive this ordeal. If he did...it would take some kind of miracle.

As the four Turks looked up, Tirsa emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and changed, as she towel-dried her hair. "So what's the plan now?" she asked her father, sitting down on the sofa.

"We'll have to move quickly," Tseng said, looking nervously at the ceiling, even though no activity seemed to be happening at that moment. "Have you both packed bags yet?"

"Mostly," Reno replied, getting up. "I'm nearly set, how about you, Tirsa?"

"Yeah, I had started packing some clothes right before my shower - " She paused, suddenly hearing a scratching noise, she stared fearfully at a spot on the far wall, near the front door.

"That - that sounds like - " she murmured.

"Need to grab our shit and run," Reno said in a low murmur, edging down the small hallway toward their bedrooms. He quickly retrieved his bag, then Tirsa's, and rapidly ran back out to join the others.

"Don't think we're going out that way," Rude said, nodding toward the front door, as the scratching sound grew louder. Suddenly, the drywall seemed to explode all over the place, as a xenomorph clawed its way through.

"Fuck that thing," Reno muttered, grabbing his EMR and switching it to high, he raced forward and jabbed the creature's arm. It gave a shriek of pain, claws scrabbling at the interior wall as the electricity coursed through its arm. Drops of acidic blood came forth, dripping onto the carpet, instantly dissolving the fibers upon contact.

"I don't remember inviting _you_ in!" Reno snapped, jabbing the creature's arm one more time. It would hiss, and withdraw its arm with each jab of the EMR, but would quickly resume its attack right after, clawing away at the drywall as it tried to break through. "Laney, quick!" Reno shouted. "Take Tirsa out through the patio doors. It's only a two story drop."

"I'm not leaving you, dad," Tirsa said stubbornly. "You come on with us, and forget that stupid thing!"

"Listen to me, you need to go _now_, Elena and the others will keep you safe," Reno shot back over his shoulder, still trying to keep the intruding alien at bay.

"No, _you_ listen to _me_," Tirsa retorted. "I've already lost my mom, I might have lost Cloud, I am _not_ losing you too!" she said firmly. Reno jerked his head back, glaring at Tirsa, then grunted as he ran from the invading alien. "Come on, then!" he shouted, grabbing her by the arm, corralling her toward the sliding glass doors that opened onto the balcony. Tseng had already opened the doors, and was surveying the ground below, looking to see if they could all safely jump.

"All clear down below," Tseng said quietly. "Rude, Elena - you first. I want you down there, then I'll toss what equipment we have down to you - we'll obviously need to run back to headquarters to get some additional weaponry." Reno shoved past everyone, and handed Tirsa his EMR. "Hold that, baby," he told her, one of his legs dangling over the balcony railing already, before anyone could protest.

"Reno, wait," Elena protested. She glanced behind her fearfully, as the aliens began to break through.

"Ain't waiting!" Reno shouted over his shoulder. "Tirsa, you go next, I'll catch you," he told his daughter, as he jumped over the balcony, landing with a thud on the ground. Tirsa ran over and peered over, smirking as she heard Reno grumbling.

"Hurt yourself?" she asked him, snickering. "Should I throw this down first?" Tirsa asked, brandishing her father's EMR.

"I'm fine, Tirsa," Reno replied, rolling his eyes as he stood up, brushing dust off his pants. "No, no time, just make sure the thing is switched _off_, please, then jump, I'll catch you." Reno stood on the ground arms outstretched to catch Tirsa as he squinted up at the balcony. "What the hell is everyone waiting for, yo, _jump_! Unless you want to be dinner."

"We are doing so, Reno," Tseng replied icily, carefully holstering his shotgun over his shoulder, praying that the safety stayed on, and that the thing didn't accidentally discharge while he jumped. "Come on…Elena, Rude….Reno does have a point, I'd rather not end up as an alien entrée." With that, Tirsa jumped freely over the balcony railing, landing in her father's arms and knocking him to the ground.

"Ow!" Reno yelped, his head hitting the pavement with a slight thud. Seeing that Tirsa was fine, he grinned. "Hey...ya made it. Now let's get the hell out of here, once the others get down here," Reno added, as he scrambled to his feet. Tseng, Rude, and Elena dropped down, one after the other, carefully handling the few weapons they did have on their persons.

"Everyone set?" Reno said, helping Tirsa to her feet. "Come on, then...let's get the hell over to Headquarters. We'll get our shit together, and get into the bunker." Everyone broke out into a full-out run as the screams of invading aliens came from behind them. "My car's parked over here!" Reno yelled as he ran, jerking his head to the right. "It's a piece of shit, but it's fast, it's reliable, and that's what we need right now."

He shoved Tirsa in front of him, not wanting to hurt the girl, of course, only wanting to provide cover for her in case the damnable xenomorphs caught up with them_. Over my dead body will they get to her,_ _those bastards_, Reno silently vowed as they all ran toward his car. _Over my dead body. _He wrenched open the passenger door for his daughter, thanking Gaia that he never bothered locking the damned thing, nobody would ever want it badly enough to go to the effort of stealing it, he reasoned. "Doors are open, get yourselves in!" Reno shouted at his fellow Turks, as he slid easily into the driver's seat, and began blindly fumbling through his pockets.

"Shit…shit…._shit_!" he muttered. Tirsa groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh gods, don't even tell me you forgot your – "

"_KEYS_!" Reno shouted, as he heard the footsteps and shrieks of the xenomorphs growing ever closer.

"Give me that," Tirsa snapped, grabbing Reno's buck knife out of the sheath that was holstered around his waist. She deftly used the flat edge of the knife to pop off a small panel behind the steering column, then pulled out two wires, quickly stripping the insulation off of the ends using the knife, as Reno looked on, slack-jawed in amazement. Tirsa touched the two wires together briefly; as they sparked, the engine roared to life.

"Rev it, come on, dad…give it some juice!" Tirsa yelled at her father, who was sitting there dumbly, a look of shocked admiration on his face. Reno lay his foot down hard on the gas pedal, and slammed the transmission into first gear, peeling out of his parking space, the car bucking and jolting along.

"How – how did you - ," Reno began, sputtering, as he sped toward the Shinra building. "Ah….everyone okay back there?" he added sheepishly, looking in the rear-view mirror at the occupants of the back seat.

"I'm just peachy," Rude muttered, rubbing his head from where it'd hit against the back windshield.

"She is _so_ your daughter," Elena muttered, snickering.

"Yeah, don't I know it," Reno replied, smirking. "Ah, thanks…for that, Tirsa," he murmured, giving his daughter a sidelong glance. "I probably shouldn't ask where you learned how to do that – "

"No," Tirsa said simply in reply, interrupting. "You probably shouldn't." She exchanged a glance with Reno, and broke out into a full grin.

"You've got to admit," she added, "that did come in handy." A frown quickly fell across her face as she turned slightly in her seat, staring at Reno as he drove.

"We will find Cloud, won't we?" she asked quietly, tears sparking the corners of her eyes.

Reno sighed slightly. _Of all the damned questions to ask, why did it have to be that one? I don't know…how to answer. Swore I'd never lie to you, but the thing is…I don't really know ._

"We _will_ find him," Reno vowed firmly, his eyes straight ahead as the Shinra building loomed within his sights.

_We will find him._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yep, they're xenomorphs, all right...Google it if you're unfamiliar with the term, but they are indeed _the_ Aliens from the movie franchise. :)  
>So...this was a shorter chapter than some, but I am breaking up some of the action I have plotted out, so it'll (hopefully) be easier to follow. Please read and review! <strong>


	11. Set It Off

_He was standing at the rock_  
><em>Gathering the flock<em>  
><em>And getting there with no directions<em>  
><em>And underneath the arch<em>  
><em>It turned into a march<em>  
><em>And there he found the spark to<em>  
><em>Set this fucker off<em>

_Set it off  
>Set it off now children<br>Set it right  
>Set it off<br>Set it off now children  
>Set it off<br>Set it off now children  
>Set a fire<br>Set it off  
>Set it off now children<em>

_Suddenly a shot  
>Ripped into his heart<br>He lay in need of some attention  
>And there he played his card<br>Going into shock  
>The last thing that he said was<br>Set this fucker off_

Set It Off - Audioslave**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Warnings for this chapter: Language, some violence, and RENO.<strong>

* * *

><p>They arrived at the Shinra Building moments later, Reno slamming the car into park before the car was even at a full stop. "Come on," he urged Tirsa, pulling her out of the car. More and more of those <em>things<em> were closing in, Reno and the other Turks all knew it, but the Shinra building should provide them with some relative safety.

_Should_ being a key word. Reno didn't even want to think about what would happen if the Shinra building's security was breached. The building was now under lockdown, so Tseng informed everyone they'd have to enter via an underground bunker.

"Damned good thing the president had the foresight to have this tunnel put in place," Rude observed with a grunt. "Sir, the president? Is he safe?" the bald Turk asked, concerned.

"Yes, he is safe," Tseng confirmed. "He is in the bunker as well…I've posted some guards with him. They're equipped with flamethrowers," Tseng added, with a decided smirk toward Reno, knowing the redhead's penchant toward fire, it was only second to his affinity to lightning.

"Good, yo," Reno said, nodding. "Those, and our semi-automatic firearms, are going to be our best defenses against these things." He looked over curiously at his daughter, keeping stride with the adults, her chin jutting out defiantly, so much like his own did. Reno grinned in spite of himself. _Gotta teach her to defend herself_, he thought, worrying. _Kid knows how to drive a car, which scares the fuck out of me a bit, but I gotta make sure she can handle a firearm. Gods forbid if anything happens to me while we're searching for Cloud..._

Reno noted the worried expression on Rude's face, and stopped him for a moment. "Partner," he said quietly. "What's going on? Worried about Tifa and the kids?"

"Yeah," Rude replied, nodding. "These aliens...gods, Reno, despite all her martial arts training, Tifa wouldn't stand a chance against them."

"If you want to go to her, man - go see to your family, I think we'd all understand, yo," Reno said softly, as Tseng and Elena nodded in agreement.

"Yes," Tseng cut in. "Rude, if you need to go, please do so."

"Sir, I've been thinking about it," Rude replied thoughtfully. "I need to be sure they're evacuated, and soon." He paused, frowning. "But I've been wondering, so far...we've only seen a handful of these creatures, but the ones we've seen, are obviously deadly. Where are they all coming from?"

"Good question, yo," Reno said. "Well...they're not indigenous to this planet, right? So they must have landed somewhere, maybe in an airship, or something..."

"Or maybe they just fell to earth, much like the Calamity From the Skies," Tseng noted dryly. "Jenova."

"Shit," Reno murmured. He suddenly felt the need for a cigarette, badly. None of this sounded very good, not at all, and now Reno was concerned for his partner, who was worrying for his family. _My family_, Reno thought suddenly, glancing at Tirsa with a sad smile. _Thank Gaia my daughter is safe, but Cloud...gods, Cloud...I need you. Need to find you._

"Gotta get inside," Reno muttered, as they reached the bunker. "And then, I have to figure out where to start looking for Cloud."

* * *

><p>Once inside the bunker, they secured the door behind everyone. Reno then turned to his daughter and asked, "Tirsa...you ever fire a gun before?" The girl grinned and shook her head, as several of the Turks groaned. "Nope," she replied cheerily. "You gonna teach me?"<p>

"Reno," Elena interrupted. "Do you _really_ think that's a good idea?"

"Under normal circumstances, Laney, I'd be inclined to agree with you," Reno admitted, his face suddenly grim. "But these circumstances aren't anything but normal, yeah?"

"She does need to learn to defend herself, should the need arise," Tseng said slowly, reluctantly agreeing with Reno. "Let's get ourselves sequestered in here, first," he said decisively. "Then, one of us can field strip a weapon, and show Tirsa its components."

"I'll be the one to do that, yo," Reno interjected, nodding at Tirsa. "Hello, sir," he went on, turning toward Rufus, who had come out of the room in the back of the bunker. "Everything okay down here?"

"Everything has been fine," Rufus replied calmly. "We've encountered no intruders as yet. A bit claustrophobic in here, there being no windows..."

"Yeah," Reno said, looking about him nervously. He had horrible claustrophobia himself, and the reminder from Rufus renewed his sense of unease. "Wish you hadn't reminded me about that."

"Well, we're surrounded on all sides by twelve feet of reinforced steel and concrete," Tseng commented. "Realizing, of course, that these creatures have acid for blood...the chances are remote, but there is still the potential for the aliens to get through to us."

Tirsa visibly paled at this. "You mean...even way down in here, those things are going to get us anyway? Through _concrete_?" She started to cry softly, Elena put an arm around the girl, trying to comfort her. "Then what's the point of hiding out here?" Tirsa asked tearfully.

"Way to go, scaring my kid like that," Reno remarked bitterly, glaring at Tseng. "Look. Yeah, I know...it doesn't look good, but we're going to do the best we can, right? And hope that we all come out of this okay. Now, we've got an advantage over the general populace- we got a shitload of weapons, we've got a safe hiding spot - "

"So _far_ it's safe," Elena pointed out, looking about her nervously. She half-expected to see one of the aliens clawing their way into the bunker, where there was nowhere to run to, and nowhere to hide.

"Can everyone just stop being all fucking doom and gloom for one minute here?" Reno said irritably. Rufus coughed, trying to hide a bemused smirk; despite the bickering that was going on now, he had the utmost faith in his Turks; if anyone could get him through this crisis safely, Rufus knew they would.

"Don't worry, dear," Rufus murmured, patting Tirsa's hand comfortingly. "Your father...is quite a character, but he and the rest of my Turks are highly capable. We are quite safe with them."

"I thank you for the vote of confidence, sir," Tseng said, a sly smile on his face. "Nevertheless, let's not get ahead of ourselves and be too cocky here. Rude, I see you've found the grenades - good. Let's distribute those amongst ourselves. Now, as far as training Tirsa to handle the firearms...Reno, you simply cannot do that in here, it's too enclosed."

Reno raised an eyebrow at this. "Got any ideas, chief? Rude, Elena? If you got 'em, let's hear 'em. It's only a matter of time before they get closer."

"Sir?" A Shinra infantryman who'd just entered the bunker addressed Rufus. "We're back from our sweep. Headquarters is secure, so far, but the beasts will be descending on us before too long. We got these surveillance shots from the rooftop." The infantryman reached into his flak vest, producing a small, thin, digital camera, and turned it on, showing the display to Rufus and the Turks.

"We figure this spacecraft is about twenty miles out, and as far as we can tell, these creatures are on foot, which gives us a small bit of time, but they'll be here soon enough." The picture on the display was that of the alien spacecraft, shaped somewhat like a giant horseshoe.

"Holy hell," Reno whispered, studying the photograph. "That….I've never seen anything like that in my life."

"None of us have," Rude remarked dryly. "Sir, I'd like to evacuate my family immediately...I want them out of Edge as soon as possible, these creatures are closer than we'd thought."

"Call Highwind," Reno said quickly, as Rude raised an eyebrow curiously. "Just do it, man. If he's able to help, I know he'd fly Tifa and the kids out. And whoever else needs to be evacuated," he added, thinking of Yuffie, Vincent, and Nanaki. "You know, Highwind still might not think much of the Turks, but he thinks highly of Tifa, man. And he wouldn't let anything happen to those kids, not if he could help it."

"Yeah," Rude agreed, nodding. "I'll call him now. Otherwise...I don't know what else I could do, Cid could probably get them out of here more quickly than I could." He took his cell phone out and stepped aside to make the phone call, while the other Turks and Tirsa, gathered around Rufus.

"We are well stocked with provisions here," Rufus observed, looking around the bunker. "I

Rude pocketed his cell phone again, and rejoined the group. "It's all set...Cid's been getting reports of these things from some fellow pilots who were trying to land at the airport. He's going to pick everyone up, and immediately evacuate. And I called Tifa...she heard the sirens going, the kids are freaking out, but I told her to sit tight, that Cid would be along soon." Rude's voice cracked, only slightly, and only Reno would be the one to realize how much strain Rude was feeling, that he did not display outwardly. "Tifa's worried, especially when I told her about the spacecraft...damn it, maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."

"No, you don't want to keep her in the dark, man," Reno said, shaking his head. He grinned slightly. "That'd be a sure way to piss her off, right Rude?"

Rude snorted briefly and nodded, smirking. "I suppose. Reno…I have an idea," he added. "For Tirsa's target practice."

"Oh?" Reno said, raising an eyebrow curiously. "What've you got in mind, partner?"

"The roof," Rude replied simply, nodding upward. "I'll go with you, and keep watch while you work with Tirsa. It's the only place in this building where we'll have a good vantage point, and there's no danger of putting a round in someone's head by mistake," he added.

"Good point, Rude," Reno said, nodding enthusiastically. "Okay. That sounds reasonable…Tseng, can you manage down here?" he asked the director.

Tseng nodded. "Elena and I will secure the bunker when you leave," he told them. "When you return, come back via the underground tunnel, and radio us before coming back - I'll have to let you inside."

"Will do," Reno agreed, taking up his firearms, and nodding to Tirsa. "Ready, honey?"

"Y-yeah," Tirsa said nervously. "Dad? But...what about those...things, out there? What if they get us, when we're on the roof?"

"I'll be looking out for the both of you," Rude told Tirsa, hoping to put her mind at ease. Mentally, Rude was asking himself the same question, and he was sure Reno was doing the same. If we really had to escape suddenly, Rude told himself, at least there's several helicopters up on the roof.

"Those...xenomorph things...they can't _fly_, can they?" Rude asked Reno, as the three of them headed out of the bunker.

"Not so far as we know," Reno replied, cocking an eyebrow at Rude. "Why?"

"Just in case we need a Plan B," Rude replied, exchanging a glance with Reno. The redhead nodded, knowing now exactly what Rude was hinting at.

"Always a good idea to have a backup plan," Reno said lightly, giving Tirsa a smile as they piled into the glass-walled elevator, heading up to the top floor.

* * *

><p>They reached the rooftop shortly thereafter, and the first thing that struck them all, was how eerily silent it was up there, even in the middle of the day. Sometimes, Reno would come up to the roof to unwind after a mission, with or without Rude. It was quieter up here, but normally there would be some background noise.<p>

During the day, the sound of traffic, the hustle and bustle of people getting to and from their jobs, all of these sounds would float up to the rooftop. It made for an almost pleasant cacophony, a distracting background noise that Reno found oddly soothing. Even at night, Reno might find himself up there every once in a while, having himself a smoke while he'd sit back and watch planes take off and land at the nearby metropolitan airport.

It was a fine way to unwind, though today, of course, Reno found himself up there for much different reasons. "Rude, got those binoculars?" Reno asked, looking uneasily at the horizon. He saw a dust cloud some miles off, and suspected the aliens were on the move, heading toward the city. Reno saw how nervous Tirsa was becoming, and didn't want to alarm her any further, so he tried to hide his own anxiety the best he could.

"I've got them right here," Rude said quietly, pulling them out of his pocket, and focusing them on the same spot on the horizon, where Reno's gaze was trained.

"Dad? What's going on?" Tirsa asked nervously. "What are you guys looking at?"

"Nothing, honey," Reno lied. "Rude…he's just keeping watch, that's all."

"Don't _lie_ to me," Tirsa retorted, her chin jutting out stubbornly. "I can tell you're worried about somethin'."

Reno sighed. "Well, of _course_ I'm worried," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't wanna scare ya, but...well, you saw those things, how powerful they are. And this is why I need to show you how to defend yourself." Reno handed her the weapon, putting a hand on her shoulder while she steadied herself, nearly dropping the gun right away. "Okay, look. I'm going to show you how to aim, and fire. The city's being evacuated, but, uh…I really don't want you popping a few rounds off of a civilian. We got some shit over here you can shoot at," Reno told her, grinning. Not far from the helipad, there were several stacks of tires, apparently intended for the recycling facility.

"All right, now," Reno said, running out quickly to the tire stacks. He pushed them around, making three standing towers, each about the average height of an adult human. "Pretend these are aliens, I guess," he instructed Tirsa, running back to her side. "Hey, Rude, how's it looking over there?" Reno shouted over his shoulder.

Rude focused the binoculars at the horizon, aiming toward the spot he'd been looking at just moments ago, near the derelict spacecraft. He was alarmed when he saw nothing right away; then, lowering the binoculars, he readjusted them, and was shocked to see a huge cloud of dust moving toward them at great velocity. The distant shrieks made it evident that these were aliens, heading directly toward them, and they were running. They were still a good ten miles or so out, Rude estimated, but they looked to be running at a speed close to that of a cheetah.

"They're running for us, Reno," Rude muttered, not taking his eyes off of the approaching enemy. "Whatever you're doing, make it fast!"

"Shit!" Reno shouted, running his finger through his hair. "Okay, baby, this is gonna have to be fast as hell, I'm sorry. Rude...I think we might need to put Plan B into motion, man."

"Was thinking the same thing myself," Rude said shortly, already running toward the closest Shinra chopper, ready to prep it for sudden takeoff, if they needed it. As he ran over to the helicopter, Rude heard the roar of a jet engine over his head; looking up, he saw the _Shera_ flying over his head.

_I hope to hell they're all aboard_, Rude thought, hoping against hope that Cid had gotten to them in time. As the Shera passed overhead, casting a large shadow on the rooftop, Rude's cell phone rang. He gave Reno a curious look, and then answered the call.

"Rude," Tifa cried, her words coming out in a rush. "Thank gods I got a hold of you. Cid just showed up and told us we were being evacuated, what is going _on_? Where _are_ you?"

"Tifa," Rude cut in brusquely. "Are you with Cid now, on the _Shera_? The kids, are they okay?"

"Yes, we're all on the _Shera_, we just took off," Tifa replied. "The kids are okay...they're a little bit scared, they don't know what's going on. Rude, honey, tell me where you are, maybe I can have Cid come and get you - "

"You just passed by me," Rude replied, smiling sadly. "I'm on the rooftop of the Shinra building. Reno and Tirsa are with me, everyone else - Tseng, Elena, Rufus - they're in an underground bunker, about seventy-five stories below where I am now."

"Cid!" Tifa yelled for the pilot. "Cid, turn around, we have to go back, we have to get Rude - "

"Don't, Tifa," Rude interrupted. He sighed, then pushed his sunglasses up on the bridge of his nose. "There's no time. Head to Wutai, I'll meet you there as soon as I can."

"Did you find Cloud?" Tifa pressed, her voice frantic.

"No," Rude said flatly. "We haven't begun searching yet." He looked over at his partner, quickly going over the workings of Tirsa's firearm with her, showing her how to load the ammo, and how to take aim at the targets.

"Okay, honey, now these are your sights, right here," Reno was telling his daughter, pointing out the features of the firearm. "Now aim for those tires there – if, gods forbid, we see any of those bastard aliens, you aim for their damned heads, you hear me?"

"I _got_ _it_, dad," Tirsa said in a low voice. She tucked her elbows into her body, steadied herself and took aim, ready to pull the trigger.

"Now it might kick back a bit, and you're small, so be careful, and brace yourself – " Reno cautioned, but Tirsa didn't wait. Squeezing the trigger, Tirsa popped off five rounds in quick succession, blowing holes through the first five tires on top of the pile.

"Well, I'll be damned," Reno said dryly, impressed with Tirsa's seemingly natural sharpshooting skill. "Kid's a crack shot, Rude!" he chortled proudly. "That's my girl – "

But Rude didn't hear a word, as Reno prattled on and on over Tirsa's skills, ever the proud father. Reno didn't see what Rude did as he looked down below, over the side of the building; at the base of the glass-walled elevators, two aliens were approaching, hooking their talons onto the elevator tracks, and they began scaling the building.

"Tifa, I've gotta go," Rude said shortly. "I'll see you in Wutai." He hung up the phone and ran over to the helicopter, shouting over his shoulder to Reno.

"Reno!" Rude yelled. He half-stood in the open hatch of the helicopter and began flipping switches, prepping the aircraft for takeoff. "We've got company, they're climbing the goddamned building!"

"Shit!" Reno yelped, grabbing Tirsa away from the edge of the building, the shrieks of the aliens now audible. "Tirsa, they're coming!"

"Oh god…," Tirsa whimpered, then – out of sheer curiosity – peered over the edge. The two aliens were ascending rapidly, one just above the other.

"I can hit him, dad, I _know_ I can," Tirsa murmured, taking her weapon in hand. "Just…give me a minute…" she muttered, peering over the railing at the roof's edge. "I have him in my sights, dad!" She flinched as the beast spotted her and let out a shriek of annoyance. _Oh god, if I don't shoot him now….he'll kill me…_

"Honey, let's just _go_, don't try anything stupid or heroic!" Reno shouted, noting with some amusement the irony of the statement, with how many times he'd been told the same thing himself, by his fellow Turks. And _Cloud_, he thought, with a bit of sadness; the absence of his husband, his soul mate, was hurting Reno more than he was letting on, but he would soon channel that pain into rage and determination. Once they were out of there, Reno was focused on starting up the search for Cloud, though he wasn't entirely sure where to start looking_. The alien's ship, maybe…. _

Tirsa did not reply to her father, not right away, but squeezed off two rounds, one after the other. A guttural roar sounded as the first alien took a bullet in the dead center of its oversized cranium, approximately in between where the eyes would be, if it had any. The second bullet blew a hole in the shoulder of the other alien, severing the arm right at that point. It hung onto the elevator casing with one-arm, the other one dangling crazily, claws of the severed arm still dug in tightly to the bracket it had been grasping.

"Holy _shit_, Tirsa," Reno breathed, visibly impressed. "You…well, damn. _Damn_. Nice job, yo. Now let's _go_, honey, those things are swarming the building! _Ruuuuude_!" he shouted, as the two broke into a run for the helicopter. "We ready for dust-off?"

"Been ready," Rude replied dryly. "Just waiting on your ass, as usual, Reno." He grinned at Tirsa, reaching out a hand to help her aboard. "Nice job, back there. You're a better shot than your old man, even."

"Thank you," Tirsa said, smiling shyly. Both the girl and Reno got on board and seated themselves, and as Rude began to lift off, something entered his field of vision, out of the corner of his eye.

"Reno! Incoming!" Rude shouted at his partner, as the helicopter began lifting off. Charging toward the helicopter was one warrior xenomorph, teeth bared and snarling as it launched itself at the helicopter, latching onto the landing skids, scuttling as it tried to gain a foothold and get inside the chopper.

"Rude, bank the chopper, we gotta try to shake this fucker off!" Reno shouted, scrambling into the back of the helicopter, apparently searching for something.

"Dad!" Tirsa screamed, sobbing hysterically. "We're going to die!"

"The hell we are!" Reno snarled. He hoisted the rocket launcher over his shoulder, and flung open the hatch door, aiming the weapon right at the alien – and fired.

_BOOM_. The kick-back from the discharge pushed Reno back into Tirsa, who was right behind him. Dazed, Reno shook it off quickly, and looked out the window. They were still ascending, and just below, Reno saw the now-dead alien plummeting to the ground.

"We're clear, Rude," Reno said hoarsely, closing the door, then settled back into his seat.

"Dad!" Tirsa cried, throwing her arms around Reno's neck. She sobbed wetly into his shoulder, her cries muffled by his leather jacket.

"Tirsa, baby….we made it," Reno gasped, hugging his daughter tight. "We _made_ it." He hugged Tirsa again, and kissed the top of her head. "You did awesome back there," Reno told her. "I am so proud of you…"

Tirsa laughed softly. "You did pretty good too, dad." She sat back, snuffling slightly. "I wish…Cloud…."

"I know baby, I know," Reno said, setting his jaw. "I'm going to find him."

"What?" Rude blurted, glancing back quickly at Reno. "I'm heading to Wutai – "

"Yeah, um...no, Rude," Reno interrupted. "Well – you go to Wutai, yeah. And I want you to take Tirsa with you, stay there until this is over."

"Reno, what? And where do you think you're going?" Rude demanded, raising an eyebrow warily. He had a feeling, a very bad feeling, that his partner was about to do something reckless and foolhardly. Wouldn't be the first time...and it probably won't be the last, he mused, rolling his eyes.

"To the spaceship, Rude," Reno replied steadily, already checking himself for weapons. "And you're going to drop me there. That's the first place I can think of, to start looking for Cloud. I'll stay in touch, man, I've got my cell, got a radio - "

"Dad, no!" Tirsa sobbed brokenly. "No, no, _no_! You can't leave me like this!"

"Baby, look," Reno said gently. "You're got to trust me on this…I have to look for Cloud, I have to. I owe it to him…and he'd do the same thing for me."

"But why do you have to go alone!" Tirsa cried. "No, I want to go with you," she added stubbornly.

"I can't let you do that, Tirsa," Reno said sadly. He hugged his daughter again, and kissed her forehead. "I can't let you risk your life, but I promise you this, I will do everything in my power to come back to you, and I will come back _with_ Cloud – " Reno was cut short when Tirsa punched him in the stomach, hard. "Ow!" he blurted, gasping for breath. "What the hell did you do that for – "

"You bastard!" Tirsa shrieked. "How can you _do_ this to me?"

"I'm so sorry, Tirsa," Reno said, looking at his daughter sadly. "I really am." He looked out the window; Rude was banking the helicopter down lower, as he circled the derelict alien spacecraft. Opening the hatch, Reno lowered the rope ladder, and made a quick recheck of his weapons. _Flamethrower…grenade launcher…handgun, rifle, semi-automatic…_

"Think I got everything, Rudy," Reno shouted over the noise of the rotors. "I'll be in touch, yo, I promise! Give Tifa and the kids my best…and Tirsa," Reno said, grabbing his daughter tightly for one last hug. "Gods, it kills me to do this, honey, it really does…but I have to. I'll find Cloud for us, okay?" Tirsa nodded through her tears and sniffled.

"I love you, dad," she murmured, throwing her arms around his neck. "Please come back safe."

"I will. I love you too, Tirsa," Reno said, trying his damnedest not to cry. "I'll call Rude when I find Cloud, okay? And I promise I'll be as careful as hell." As Rude held the helicopter steady, Reno carefully made his way down the rope ladder, shifting his weapons around, flung over his back as they were. Finally, he dropped down quietly, landing on the roof of the spacecraft. It was eerily silent; Reno began to wonder why.

Squinting up at the helicopter, Reno waved at Tirsa. "Take the ladder up baby, just pull it up," he shouted up to her.

Tirsa looked down at her father and waved – then hesitated. She felt in her pocket; she still had the semi-automatic pistol in her pocket…Reno had forgotten to take it back.

"What the hell," she muttered, and hooked a leg out, standing on the landing skid, grabbing for the rope ladder. "Bye Rude!" she shouted.

Reno looked on in abject horror. "No, what in the hell are you doing, Tirsa!"

"I'm coming with you, what does it look like I'm doing!" she snapped, steadying herself a bit as the helicopter suddenly lurched.

"Goddamn it, you get back in there!" Reno shouted, mad as hell. He had to admit, there was some small part of him that was proud – and amazed – at his daughter's fortitude.

"Dad?" Tirsa said hesitantly, as a sudden gust of wind kicked up, making the rope ladder whip back and forth. "The ladder, it's – "

~_oh no, oh gods, it's breaking_~

The next thing Reno heard was a bloodcurdling scream as he saw the ladder snap, and Tirsa falling down toward him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm baaaack! Sorry for the long wait in between chapters (on this and other fics), I've had a crappy couple of months since my last update...I found out a couple of months ago I was pregnant, which was great news, as my hubby and I have been wanting another child. Unfortunately, the baby died - ****on Valentine's day of all days. :( Needless to say, I'm heartbroken, and I've been having a really hard time dealing with that.**

**So, it's been hard getting my head back into writing, but this week I just started writing and writing and writing, and I think I might have gotten my groove back, I'll begin working on other updates as well. **


	12. Fear Of The Dark

**Warnings for this chapter: Language, violence**

* * *

><p><em>Fear of the dark, fear of the dark<em>  
><em>I have constant fear that something's<em>  
><em>always near<em>  
><em>Fear of the dark, fear of the dark<em>  
><em>I have a phobia that someone's<em>  
><em>always there<em>

_Have you run your fingers down_  
><em>the wall<em>  
><em>And have you felt your neck skin crawl<em>  
><em>When you're searching for the light?<em>  
><em>Sometimes when you're scared<em>  
><em>to take a look<em>  
><em>At the corner of the room<em>  
><em>You've sensed that something's<em>  
><em>watching you<em>

_Have you ever been alone at night_  
><em>Thought you heard footsteps behind<em>  
><em>And turned around and no one's there?<em>  
><em>And as you quicken up your pace<em>  
><em>You find it hard to look again<em>  
><em>Because you're sure there's<em>  
><em>someone there<em>

**"Fear Of The Dark" -** **Iron Maiden**

* * *

><p>Reno stood stock still on the top of the spacecraft, the metal gleaming in the sun. His mouth formed an <strong><em>O<em>** as he looked skyward, watching helplessly as his daughter came hurtling down.

"Tirsa, no!" Reno shouted, the moment he saw put one foot out on the rope ladder. _Damn her impulsiveness!_ Reno thought irritably. Arms held out, he shifted back and forth from one foot to the other, as he tried to gauge where she would be landing.

_Praying to Gaia I don't miss catching her…she'll be landing on hard metal from a forty-foot drop._ While such a fall might not necessarily kill Tirsa, it would definitely cause some very unpleasant injuries. Her scream grew in volume as she fell down, down, down, toward her father's outstretched arms. _He's never going to catch me, not the way he's standing, oh gods, he looks so nervous, I'm going to die, I'm going to go splat, and I'm going to die -_

_THUD_. Tirsa landed hard on top of Reno, knocking him on his back, momentarily stunning him into unconsciousness. "Dad!" she screamed, shaking him by the lapels, trying to wake him. Tirsa looked up helplessly at the chopper, Rude was circling, but unable to do much. The winds had grown stronger, whipping the chopper about, making for very unstable conditions; Rude would have to move, or risk the aircraft going into a tailspin.

"...the hell?" Reno muttered, blinking his eyes as he tried to sit up; Tirsa landing on him had stunned him, knocking the wind out of him. "Tirsa..._Tirsa_! You okay?" he asked, shaking his daughter gently as she shook her head.

"Yeah, I'm _fine_, dad," Tirsa muttered, feeling foolish and embarrassed about her fall from the helicopter. "I'm fine dad, really!" she said firmly, swatting Reno's hands away as he checked her for broken bones. "I didn't break anything, I swear!"

"Well, good," Reno muttered, feeling relieved. "It's so...quiet here," he added in a low tone, waving up to Rude to indicate that they were both okay. Rude flashed a peace sign at Reno, and brought the helicopter around, heading away from the complex. He was still within radio range of Reno, and spoke to him via the headset.

"I'm heading to Wutai, Reno," Rude told him. "Going to check on Tifa and the kids and everyone, but I'll be on standby. You call me the minute you find Cloud, got it?"

"Got it, yo," Reno said firmly and determinedly. "Be safe, partner...and we'll do the same," he added, with a decided glance at Tirsa. The girl got a strange look in her eye, and suddenly grabbed Reno's sleeve, pulling him along.

"He's down there, this way," Tirsa hissed, tugging at Reno. "Down there," she said, pointing toward the upper right of the spaceship; Reno supposed it was probably where the flight deck was located, though there was really no obvious way to tell that looking from the outside of the downed craft; it was shaped much like a mammoth horseshoe, with no discernible doors or windows, none that Reno could notice, anyway. _Just like those damned things...no eyes_, Reno thought with a shudder. He repositioned his weaponry and equipment, following alongside Tirsa, who seemed to know exactly where she was going...

_Wait. Hold up. How in seven hells can Tirsa know where Cloud is? _"Stop right there for a second, Tirsa," Reno said in a low voice, waving her back. "Before we go into this thing, you have to tell me...how is it that you think you know where Cloud is?"

Tirsa shook her head. "I don't just think, I know. I can _feel_ him," she explained. "We are bound by the same blood, I should have realized it sooner...maybe that's why Cloud and I kind of...understand each other, I don't know," she added, shrugging her shoulders.

"Whoa," Reno murmured, still not quite getting it. "I don't understand. The same blood? What the hell are you talking about, Tirsa?"

"Cloud's part Cetra, isn't he?" she asked, staring at Reno, who replied with a headshake. "I knew it, I knew he had to be. Because I'm part Cetra too."

"You're _what_?" Reno blurted, a bit more loudly than he'd intended. "How can you be part Cetra?"

"Because of my mother," Tirsa replied, looking at Reno curiously. "Didn't you know, dad? My mom was a Cetra."

"I - wow, uh, no...I didn't know, I guess," Reno said, feeling completely flustered. _Gods...what are the odds...Dayanara was Cetra, Cloud is part Cetra..._

"Am I incapable of sleeping with someone who isn't one-hundred percent human?" Reno wondered out loud, then flinched as Tirsa glared at him. "Uh...sorry. But really, I didn't know! About your mom, that is. She...never talked about her childhood, or herself really. Said it was too painful, and I didn't want to pry, so...I didn't. We just lived in the moment, I guess..."

"And I was the results of one of those 'moments', huh?" Tirsa said darkly. "Whatever...it's fine. I know I wasn't planned, but I know mama loved me all the same."

"Of course she did," Reno said softly. "And...I do too, Tirsa. Don't forget."

"I won't," Tirsa replied, her lip quivering. "Hey, we gotta find a way _in_ here, dad," she added, quickly changing the subject. "But I don't see a door."

"I know, it's weird, yo," Reno muttered, narrowing his eyes as he studied the surface of the craft they were standing upon; they were now walking along the right side of the 'horseshoe', looking for anything that would seem like a means of entry, be it a door or a window. "Plus...it's so quiet. Not to freak you out, but I feel like we're being watched. Stay close to me."

"No, I feel it too," Tirsa whispered, edging closer to her father. "Like...we're being hunted."

"Yeah," Reno muttered dryly, eyes peering over the seemingly uninhabited surrounding landscape. _That's because we probably **are** being hunted..._

"Over here!" Tirsa called, running her hand over what seemed to be a concavity in the matte metal surface of the alien craft. "I think it's….a handle or something?" she murmured, the metal surface dissolving into nothingness as all of her fingers came into contact with the metal, revealing some sort of portal much like a doorway.

"Whoa," Reno whispered, sidling up right behind Tirsa. "Get behind me, baby," he urged, moving ahead of Tirsa. He turned the flamethrower's ignition on, leaving it idle but ready, just in case. "Can you tell where he is, down in here?" Reno asked, looking around and taking in his surroundings. They were now inside, and the interior of the spacecraft was quite unlike anything Reno had ever seen. A sticky sort of resin dripped down from the bone-like structure - stepping further in, it seemed to Reno that the walls looked much like an exoskeleton. He immediately got the feeling that he was being watched...yet, there was no sign of life whatsoever.

"I think something's in here, Tirsa, but I can't see or hear a damned thing," Reno whispered, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim light within the interior of the ship. "And they still got power...I don't hear the hum of engines though, so they're definitely stopped. _Good thing, too_, Reno suddenly thought. _I don't want to be stuck on this fucker if they suddenly decide to **leave**._

"I can hear him, dad," Tirsa whispered, not even hearing her father. She stared blankly ahead, and began walking forward, not paying attention to her surroundings - but Reno _was_, and nearly jumped back a foot as he saw the wall next to Tirsa _moving_. She screamed as a xenomorph sprang out of the wall, propelled by its tail which had been coiled up behind it in the alcove it had been hiding in.

"Tirsa, down, now!" Reno yelled, charging at the beast as it tried grabbing at the girl. Whimpering, Tirsa threw herself to the ground, cowering in fear as Reno stood up, snarling, facing off against the alien, clutching the flamethrower unit he had strapped over his shoulder, aiming it at the creature. Tirsa was still too close for him to attempt incinerating the thing, or he would have sent it up into flames immediately.

"You are one ugly motherfucker - " Reno began, then was cut short as the alien's tail reared up behind it, like the leg of a giant squid, then slammed the tail into Reno's side, knocking him off balance, forcing him onto his back on the floor. Tirsa scuttled away quickly, terrified, as the beast descended upon her father, the prehensile secondary mouth - or was it a tongue equipped with teeth? - snapped at Reno's face, trying like hell to bite through his skull.

"Tirsa, get back!" Reno yelled, pushing the alien off of his chest, head turning back and forth, as he tried to avoid the thing's jaws, dripping with slime. "If I don't make it...you go find Cloud, okay? Go now, while I've got this bastard distracted!"

"Dad, no! I can't leave you..." Tirsa said, sniffling. She spied Reno's EMR, which had fallen to the side when the xenomorph attacked him, and quickly grabbed it, switching it on as she'd seen her father do many times before, although she'd never actually used the thing, certainly not in battle as she was about to do now. "Get off my dad, asshole!" Tirsa shouted, sticking the EMR into the alien's elongated head, drawing a stream of the venomous, acidic blood, some of which splattered onto Reno's jacket sleeve, smoke rising as the acid began to dissolve the fibers of the fabric. "Get behind me _now_, Tirsa!" Reno yelled, scrabbling backward as the beast reared up, clawing at its face in pain Reno used the creature's momentary hesitation to his advantage; pulling the trigger on the flamethrower, he shot out a thirty-foot flame, incinerating the alien almost instantly. A sick shrieking sound came from the xenomorph as it lay dying and smoldering.

"Come on," Reno hissed, stepping over the smoking corpse, grasping Tirsa's hand in his own. They continued down the skeletal-looking corridor of the ship, Tirsa knowing exactly where to do.

"We have to go down a level," Tirsa whispered, nudging her father toward the staircase nearby. "I think he's down there," she added, pointing down to the floor below.

"I go first," Reno insisted, grinning a bit, as he noticed that Tirsa was still clutching his EMR in her hand. "Nice job back there, Tirsa. You saved me, you know..you damn well saved me. Hang onto that thing, there's a wrist strap at the bottom - "

"Thanks, dad," Tirsa murmured, fastening the leather strap of the EMR around her wrist, tightening it. "I...I didn't even know what I was doing - " She paused, her lip trembling; the adrenaline rush was lessening, and the seriousness of what she'd just done was finally clicking; along with the realization of how close she and her father had come to dying.

"Shh, shh, it's fine, yo," Reno said soothingly, drawing an arm around his daughter as they reached the landing. "Chin up, okay? We're not done with these bastards yet. We stick together, step by step, keep your eyes and ears open – "

"Dad, behind us!" Tirsa shouted, as a warrior xenomorph leapt over their heads, claws clanging against the metal railing of the stairway as it zigzagged to and fro.

"_Stay down_!" Reno shouted at Tirsa. He rolled onto his back, sliding backwards down the metal stairs, which scraped his back painfully, but Reno felt nothing thanks to the surge of adrenaline flooding his veins; he hoisted the flamethrower and pointed it upwards, pulling the trigger and catching the beast in the belly, with a jet of flame. The acrid smell of burning alien flesh filled his nostrils and throat, choking him.

"Got him," Reno muttered, coughing. He checked his surroundings once again, and slowly made his way down to the very bottom of the stairs, Tirsa right beside him. What they saw on the lower level chilled Reno to the bone, and made him fear that they might be too late to save Cloud.

"Oh gods," Reno muttered, trying to shield Tirsa's eyes, but it was impossible, as well as futile – the girl had already seen the humans, encased into a hive-like structure in the wall. Here were all the citizens of Greater Edge/Midgar that had gone missing in recent months; still alive, most in a comatose or semi-comatose state, but for what purpose, Reno was not yet sure. He had a suspicion of what it was though, and it was something he couldn't bear to think about - especially as he and Tirsa continued the search for Cloud.

The smell of acid and decay surrounded them, seeping into all their senses. Reno wiped away a drop of sweat, suddenly realizing how warm and humid it had become on this level. He heard a faint shuffling sound, coming from all around them, and jumped.

"Tirsa," Reno whispered, suddenly remembering the built-in trackers Tseng had implemented on all of their heavy artillery. "Switch that box on right there, right near your scope - " he pointed at the top side of her rifle.

"Okay," she replied in a whisper, switching it on. A small blip, blip, blip noise sounded, and on the right hand side of the screen, a small, pale blob of light was moving back and forth in a wiggling fashion. "Dad? Dad, what is that?"

Reno looked at the tracker, then looked up to the spot on the wall that should correspond with what was on the screen. "It's...one of them...that...woman, she's - alive - " Reno babbled incoherently, some part of his brain did register what he was seeing, but the horror of that realization almost prevented him from verbalizing it. A female, encased in the wall with her head pointing down to the floor, was choking and sputtering. Not knowing what else to do, Reno stepped foward, peering at the woman, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder, perhaps offer some small but relatively useless gesture of comfort in doing so.

The head shot up, and the eyes flew open wide, staring at Reno, but seemingly unseeing. Reno choked when he realized who it was. "Oh gods...Aylin...Aylin, how in the _fuck_ did you end up in here? Hold on baby, we'll get you out of this," the Turk muttered, pulling at the material that was glued to the woman, keeping her trapped in the wall.

"_Don't_," Aylin rasped, her voice pleading. "It's too late, please...just kill me." Tirsa stood by in horror as Aylin went into convulsions, a large protrusion coming forth from her abdomen.

"Dad! _What the fuck is that_!" Tirsa shrieked, pointing.

"Shit! It's one of those things coming out of her!" Reno exclaimed, his mind flashing back to the John Doe they'd encountered back at the ShinRa labs. He grimaced as he flipped the switch on his EMR, giving Aylin a piteous look as he aimed the thing straight at her. "Get behind me Tirsa, and shut your eyes, don't look."

"Dad, but I - " Tirsa protested fearfully, trembling as she scooted behind her father.

"Do it, _now_!" Reno snapped, sounding much harsher than he wanted to. He wanted to spare Tirsa the horror of seeing what he was about to do, incinerating a living, breathing, human being - a _friend_, no less. _Bad enough she's going to hear the screams, smell the burning flesh...gods, what kind of nightmares will she have after this?_

"Okay," Tirsa muttered, choking on a sob. She dutifully squatted behind Reno, shutting her eyes, holding her hands over her ears. She was fully aware of what her father was about to do, and _why_ he had to do it, and wished she could be anywhere but here in that moment, witnessing this horror.

Reno choked on a sob himself, as Aylin convulsed violently, the alien embryo chewing its way through her chest wall. She screamed in agony, and Reno ignited the flamethrower, aiming the screaming jet of flame at the dying woman.

"So sorry, Aylin," Reno whispered, his words lost amid the roar of the flamethrower, and the shrieks of the dying woman and alien. "See you in the Lifestream, my friend." A few more blasts, and alien and woman were no more; a vile allegory of human childbirth lay before Reno, Aylin and the alien embryo hung there, dead and charred, and the normally unflappable Turk nearly vomited at the sight. He had to get Tirsa out of there, and quickly.

"Let's go, Tirsa, and whatever you do, please, do _not_ look back there, trust me on that," Reno murmured, throwing an arm around his daughter protectively, shielding her from the horror that was now behind them.

Tirsa nodded, silently, and let Reno lead her away, one eye trained on the tracking device, which for now, remained silent. The girl was trembling from both nerves and hunger, gasping as the tracker beeped again.

"Oh no, dad, look," she whispered, pointing at the box. "Do you think it's another...like that woman, back there?" The movement was coming from somewhere up ahead of them. Reno sighed wearily, readying his weapons once again.

"You still got that rifle, Tirsa?" Reno asked, glancing back at his daughter, who wasn't even listening to him; a strange grin was on her face as she blindly walked forward, ahead of her father.

"Get _behind_ me, damn it, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Reno snapped, trying to get ahead of Tirsa. He flinched as he heard the tracker beeping ever faster, indicating that whatever was moving out there, they were within close range now. "Tirsa, get back here, now, you don't know what's up there!" Reno knew the shouting was drawing attention to them, but the stubborn girl wasn't _listening_ to him, not at all.

"Dad, don't you see?" Tirsa said excitedly, dragging her father up ahead. "It's him, it's Cloud, we found him!" Reno stopped in his tracks, his expression dumbstruck; Cloud was cocooned in the wall, similar to how Aylin had been, but was either fast asleep, or in a coma. _Oh gods, oh no...oh no...oh no... _Reno ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, grimacing at the sight before him; Cloud had been beaten a fair bit, and looked to be slightly malnourished and dehydrated, the eyes and cheeks sunken in slightly.

"Tirsa, we gotta get him out," Reno muttereed, pulling at the material of the cocoon, realizing that everything he was doing was likely an exercise in futility; if Cloud had one of those things in him, which he more than likely did, he would die anyway. _Just like Aylin...she didn't even have a fucking chance._

The jostling motion of Reno and Tirsa working together to free Cloud, slowly woke the sleeping man, who slowly opened his eyes, taking in the sight of Reno and Tirsa, blinking. "R-Reno?" Cloud croaked, his voice hoarse. "You found me! Get...get me out of here..."

"Tirsa found you, babe," Reno said happily, touching his fingers to Cloud's cheek; the skin was hot and dry to the touch. "And we're getting you out of there, Cloud, working on it now, no matter what happens - "

"Reno, one of those things is _in_ me," Cloud told Reno, as the remaining debris was pulled off of him, and he fell weakly into his husband's arms. "The alien, I can feel it, down in my stomach - it's going to kill me, just like it did the others."

"I don't give a fuck, we'll get it out," Reno said firmly, though he was highly uncertain that such a thing was even possible. "I'll take the bastard out myself if I have to," he said, carrying Cloud over his shoulder as he was still too weak to walk.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Reno muttered. "Tirsa? Tirsa, where are you - "

"Dad?" she replied, her voice tinged in fear. "Dad...there's more of those things coming...what do we do?"

"Run fast, stay low, and shoot to kill," Reno replied, nodding at Tirsa. "And once we're out, I'm blowing this fucker to Kingdom Come."

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><p><strong>AN: Well...sorry for the wait on this chapter! Life has thrown a few curve balls at me lately, I found out recently my dog has cancer. :( So that's been on my mind a lot and I'm having trouble concentrating. He has to have surgery, hopefully he will be okay afterward. It is just very sad and stressful right now.**

**On to the story...yay, they found Cloud! Finally, although...not the best circumstances there, eh?**

**Next chapter: How are they going to get out of there, and get that thing out of Cloud? **


	13. Blow Me Away

_Only the strongest will survive_  
><em>Lead me to heaven, when we die<em>  
><em>I am the shadow on the wall<em>  
><em>I'll be the one to save us all<em>

**Blow Me Away - Breaking Benjamin**

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><p>The three ran quickly down the dark corridor, checking every corner, glancing furtively behind them. "We're getting you out of here Cloud, and pronto," Reno declared, helping the weakened man along. "I gotta phone Rude, tell him to come back - "<p>

"Rude?" Cloud repeated, still somewhat dazed. A stabbing pain in the center of his abdomen seized him, taking his breath away for a moment as Reno and Tirsa looked at him with great worry on their faces. A deep cough shook Cloud's entire body, but he held steady, head up, his gaze determined and clear.

"Fine," he rasped, leaning against Tirsa. "I'm...fine." Tirsa looked at Cloud again, her face a mixture of horror and curiosity as she touched her hand gently to his stomach.

"It's a _queen_," she whispered. "They put a queen inside of you. She'll make more...thousands more." What little color was left in Cloud's face quickly drained, his expression slack-jawed and horrified. _But it makes sense...why they've been congregating around me so much, more so than the others who were made into hosts..._

"I think you might be right, Tirsa," Cloud said sadly. "I hadn't even thought about...where all those eggs came from," he added, remembering briefly when one of the drone aliens dragged him, semi-conscious, through a vast room containing thousands upon thousands of eggs. "So many of them...Reno, if there really is a queen inside of me...you know what you have to do." _Kill me._ He couldn't bring himself to say it in front of Tirsa - but Cloud knew that Reno would know exactly what he meant.

"Oh hell _no_," Reno muttered as they ducked inside a doorway while he dialed Rude on his cell phone. "We're getting that shit out of you Cloud, I swear it," he added in an undertone. "Yo, Rude! We got Cloud, get yer ass back here soon as you can - "

"Dad!" Tirsa cried, nudging her father. "They're coming!" A trio of warrior aliens were advancing quickly upon them, and there was not enough time to get away. Reno quickly ended his phone call, after confirming that Rude would be coming back in the helicopter to retrieve them.

"Rude, gotta go, we got incoming. We'll rendezvous on top where you dropped us off before, okay? See you later, partner." With that, Reno cut the call and, narrowing his eyes, turned his attention back toward the xenomorphs. "Get the hell away from us, you're not getting him!" Reno shouted at the trio of aliens. "He's mine!"

"Dad!" Tirsa hissed. "Please, _please_ don't piss them off," she pleaded. "They're animals!"

"I know that, baby, I know, but I am _not_ about to stand here and take it," Reno shot back, the flamethrower ready and poised.

"It's me they want," Cloud said flatly. "You heard what Tirsa said...I have a queen inside of me. I know she's right, the aliens...they've been attentive to me, much more so than with the others." Flashes of memory were coming back to Cloud, and his face flushed with shame and embarrassment as the knowledge of what had been done to him, much against his will, came back to him in one unpleasant rush.

_They...they touched me,_ Cloud remembered, horrified. _They touched me...and I liked it. My body liked it, anyway, I responded like I did, oh gods, I remember - _

"Oh gods," Cloud murmured, suddenly leaning forward and vomiting, causing Reno to grow frantic with alarm, believing that the alien was about to burst forth from Cloud's chest, just as it had done the others.

"Babe, you okay? We have to go, _now_, get you some medical attention before that thing tries to come out of you - " The aliens advanced, one striking out at Tirsa, backhanding her forcefully. The girl crumpled to the ground, dazed, as Cloud rushed over to help her up.

"_Fuck you_!" Reno bellowed, pointing the flamethrower at the creature and igniting it, burning the xenomorph beyond recognition. The other two stayed back, presumably watching and waiting to see what Reno's next move would be. "Die, you bastard!" Reno looked up, hearing the telltale sound of helicopter blades. A smile lit his face, which quickly faded when he saw Tirsa semi-conscious, being dragged along by Cloud, who was in a very weakened state himself.

"Reno," Cloud said hoarsely, his expression sad, helpless. "You - take Tirsa, and go. They want me, just - make sure she's safe, I can hear the helicopter, I'll hold them off for as long as I can while you go - "

"Daddy...no..." Tirsa protested weakly, opening her eyes, then closing them, as she fought to stay conscious, her hand reaching up for Cloud.

"_NO_!" Reno cried, horrified, pulling Cloud and Tirsa along with him, backwards, away from the advancing aliens. "No, I am not leaving you, god damn it, not leaving either one of you!" Suddenly, a long, whip-like tail shot out, grabbing Cloud by the leg, dragging him back.

Reno's temper flared and he gritted his teeth, practically snarling at these monsters who _dared_ to lay a finger on his Cloud; this was the last straw, as far as the Turk was concerned. His limit break, _Live Wire_ - an elemental lightning attack - finally kicked in, his entire body charged as if it was a live current, and his foot flew out, connecting with the beast's elongated head in a roundhouse kick, the electricity running through Reno's leg into the thing's skull, searing the skin and electrocuting the creature. The skin had torn open, causing a spray of the acidic blood to flow forth, some of it catching Reno in the chest and sizzling, burning the skin horribly, but Reno didn't stop - _couldn't_ stop - he was so enraged that he simply couldn't stop fighting. The first creature fell to the ground, then Reno swiftly attacked the second, his body still electrically charged with high-level bolt spells from his limit break.

"Come on, we're almost there, almost there - " Reno babbled, his voice robotic as he moved without even realizing he was doing it, fleeing the alien craft, and finally getting everyone up to the surface. Reno shoved Tirsa and Cloud out ahead of him, hearing the scrabbling, scratching sound of claws clanging on the metal as more aliens advanced...quite a lot of them, Reno realized, from the look and the sound of it. The burning of his chest had intensified, the acidic blood of the xenomorph having stripped away some of his skin, and the pain was agonizing. With his last bit of strength, Reno slammed the door shut behind him, knowing it wouldn't hold for very long, as he latched it shut. Sure enough, the metal bulged out as the aliens began throwing their weight against it.

As Reno rejoined Tirsa and Cloud, Rude had arrived, maneuvering the helicopter closer, the rescue ladder dangling freely. Reno, gasping from pain, grabbed a hold of it and steadied it for Tirsa, urging her to go up first. He was glad to see that Rude had replaced the previous ladder - the one Tirsa had broken - with one made of steel. _ Least there's less of a chance of the thing breaking,_ Reno reasoned.

"Rude, man, am I glad to see you!" Reno shouted, one eye on the door that was close to being opened now, by the sheer brute force of the xenomorphs and their body weight. "We gotta hurry! Get Tirsa up first, she's half out of it - help her - " Rude quickly hoisted the ladder up, pulling the girl into the helicopter as they hovered.

"Now you go, Cloud," Reno instructed, giving his husband a knowing glance. "Come on, babe, you know we have to get you some medical help - "

"I know," Cloud said flatly, exhausted. "I _know_." He felt a huge weight in his chest, and he knew his days were now numbered, if they didn't get the creature out of him, and quickly. "It hurts - " he muttered, stumbling into the rope ladder.

"Come on!" Reno screamed, as the door burst open, metal rivets flying everywhere. "_Go, Cloud, go_!" Despite his legs feeling as if they were made of lead, Cloud climbed the ladder, taking the hand extended by Rude, who helped him aboard. Reno stepped onto the rope ladder just as the first xenomorph advanced upon him.

"_Now, Rude, now_!" Reno shouted, jabbing at the alien with his EMR, which only served to piss the creature off even more. Rude strapped everyone in and began liftoff as Reno still dangled from the ladder, trying to hang on and hoist himself up to safety, all while in incredible pain from the acid burn.

Suddenly a clawed hand shot out, grabbing Reno's shoe and pulling him down. "Fuck" he shouted, looking down below. A xenomorph held onto his foot for dear life , and Reno kicked at it.

"Get the hell off of me!" Reno bellowed, his grip on the ladder's rungs slipping and slipping. "Rude! Ruuuuude, I'm falling!" he called up to his partner, who was busy piloting the helicopter, trying to get _away_ from the xenomorphs and the craft, unable to really assist Reno at all.

"Hold on, partner!" Rude hollered out the open hatch door, banking the helicopter to and fro, trying to shake the alien off. Reno feared the ladder might suddenly snap off, sending him hurtling to the ground to greet certain death.

Finally, one last hard kick, and Reno's boot came flying off - the xenomorph clutching at it as it fell to the earth. Rude immediately lifted the chopper higher, leaving behind what now looked like dozens upon dozens of xenomorphs, all congregated over the top of the spacecraft. Carefully, Reno climbed up the rest of the ladder, and pulled himself inside the helicopter, overjoyed to see that Cloud was sitting there - still alive, and other than being brutally exhausted, was unscathed - so far.

Reno's weariness hit him like a ton of bricks all of a sudden, and he leaned into Cloud, nodding at a sleeping Tirsa. "She okay?" Reno asked quietly. "And you, babe, how are you doing?"

"Holding on," Cloud said, breath coming in shallow, painful gasps. He suddenly noticed Reno's acid-burned flesh, and winced.

"We need to treat that, it's a chemical burn," Cloud said, rummaging for the first aid kit. "We have some of those burn pads - "

Dizziness suddenly overcame Reno, and he began to sway back and forth, falling forward into Cloud's lap.

"Babe...I lost my shoe," Reno said dumbly, before passing out in a dead faint.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the LONG time in between updates! I've had a lot going on personally, most of it not good, but I'm finally starting to get back on track with writing, anyway. Please read, review, and enjoy! ^_^**

**Oh, and yeah...I made up a limit break for Reno. I figure he has to have one. I've actually come up with a bunch of them that I might use in future chapters of this fic, or in other stories. :)**


	14. Can I Play With Madness?

Reno woke slowly, finding himself in a bed fitted with crisply clean white and beige-patterned sheets. The bed was one that was very low to the ground, reminiscent of Wutaian decor, and so the Turk correctly surmised he was in Wutai. The diffused bright light coming through the rice-paper shade covering the window cause Reno to blink. He finally came out of fitful sleep, and as he came to, blinked the blurriness from his eyes. Sitting there was Tseng, with a grave look on his face.

"Hey, bossman," Reno said thickly, his tongue feeling like a woolen sock as he smacked his lips. "Water," he whispered, reaching for the plastic cup on the nearby tray. Tseng quickly grabbed the cup and handed it to Reno, helping him to sit up as he drank.

"Thanks," Reno murmured weakly. He looked around the room, surprised to find himself alone, save for the presence of Tseng. "Sir? Where's Cloud and Tirsa? They okay?"

Tseng sighed wearily, taking the empty plastic cup from Reno, and set it down on the tray. "Reno," he said quietly, his dark eyes serious and unblinking. "I'm so sorry. The helicopter...it went down, just before the mountain range on the island here. You are the only survivor."

Reno gasped, gaping at Tseng in horror. He recoiled as the Director laid a hand on Reno's arm, in an attempt to comfort him.

"No," Reno whispered, shoving Tseng's hand away. "No! God damn it, no! We came this far - I found Cloud - oh fuck, not my little girl too, damn it all to fucking _hell_!" Sobbing, he tried to get up from the bed, but was held back by strong hands. Tseng' face dissolved into a narcotic fog as Reno struggled to gain some semblance of thought, weakly attempting to pull an IV out of his arm and trying to get out of bed.

"Fucking let go of me!" Reno snapped, swatting at the hands that held him down. He blinked, and looked up at the one restraining him. "Rude?" Reno murmured incredulously. "But - but - you're dead!" he babbled, shaking his head. "Wait a minute, what the fuck is going on! Tseng just told me - "

"Reno, calm down," Rude said softly. "Tseng is with Cloud, they're in surgery. And Tirsa is with Tifa and the kids, they're all at Godo's house, with Yuffie."

"But - I swear to you, Rude, Tseng was just here - " Reno shuddered, leaning against his partner. "He told me you were all dead, that the helicopter crashed."

Rude raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I know you're the better pilot of the two of us, Reno, but I'm not that bad," Rude said, attempting to crack a joke. "Look, aibou. You weren't in great shape when you got here, you've got some pretty bad burns...you were going into shock, and they gave you something for the pain, too."

"Apparently it was a hallucinogenic drug," Reno remarked dryly, rolling his eyes. His gaze pinned Rude's, and he tried to sit up again. "How are they doing? Can I see them?"

Rude shook his head. "Well - Tirsa's having a nap right now, but she's doing fine. Tifa's looking after her. Cloud's still in surgery though, Reno. It'll be a while."

"I wanna go watch," Reno said stubbornly, grimacing with pain as he tried to stand up. His chest was heavily bandaged with burn pads and gauze, from where the alien's acid blood had burned through several layers of skin. "Fuck, this hurts."

"You really should be resting," Rude admonished him. "But I know you're worried about him."

"Where they doing the surgery, anyway?" Reno inquired. "There's no hospitals around here."

"There's a lab on Wutai," Rude informed him. "One of Hojo's holdovers from long ago."

"Don't mention that asshole," Reno grumbled. "And please don't tell me you found some former SOLDIERS floating in fucking mako tanks there."

"Nothing of the kind," Rude replied, smirking. "Well, I see you haven't lost your sense of...wit."

"Yeah, well," Reno muttered, rolling his eyes. He sighed, and sank back into the pillows. Reno had to admit, if only to himself, he _was_ exhausted. "Who's operating on him, anyway? I know they have to get that thing out of Cloud, and fast, but I want to know what's going on. Obviously you had to make some decisions while I was out of it."

"Pretty much," Rude agreed, nodding. "Yuffie's uncle is a doctor...Masaru Kisaragi, he's the one operating. Tseng is assisting."

"Oh," Reno said dumbly. Suddenly, he felt wearied again, exhausted. "Rude...when Tirsa's up, I wanna see her. Please."

"Soon as I hear from Tifa, I'll bring you over," Rude promised him. "You still need to rest, Reno. Those acid burns are bad."

"Fuck my burns, yo," Reno snapped. "I want to see my kid, my husband. I want to get out of this fucking _bed_," he added irritably. Reno's slender fingers scrabbled over his arms, pulling out lines for the IV, as he tried to sit up in the hospital bed. "Don't try to stop me, Rude," he said stubbornly, chin jutting out defiantly.

Rude sighed, shaking his head. "Wouldn't dream of it. Look, you need a wheelchair, at least. There's a visiting nurse here who's been taking care of you, and Godo's had some medical equipment brought over - "

Reno made a face at that, but waved his hand at Rude, relenting. "Okay, fine. But the minute I start to feel better, we're ditching the fucking chair. I ain't a cripple." Without another word, Rude went to retrieve a wheelchair from outside, and quickly returned.

"Nurse is coming back to take out your IV," Rude informed him. "Just a few more minutes."

"Okay," Reno replied, letting his legs dangle over the side of the bed. "I guess I can wait a few more minutes." He stared at his lap, a bit horrified to see the fabric of his pajama pants tenting upward very obviously.

"Oh, for the love of Gaia," Reno muttered, oblivious to the nurse re-entering the room. "I have a hard-on the size of a Midgar Zolom, and my husband is busy getting operated on, just my luck." He looked up, blinking, at the unsmiling nurse who was standing by his bedside.

"Oh, hi there," Reno said, grinning cheekily. "I guess you're here to take my IV's out?"

"Yes, that, and your catheter," the nurse replied, nodding toward Reno's crotch.

"Oh hell," Reno muttered. "My little soldier is saluting the sun right now, I don't think it's a good time for this - "

"Just lay on the bed, please, I'll take the IV's out first, then we'll worry about the catheter," the nurse instructed Reno. He swung his legs back onto the bed and sat back, looking most uncomfortable.

"I've got a really bad feeling about this," Reno quipped, trying to count backwards in Wutaian, staring at the ceiling tiles, trying to ignore everything going on around him.

* * *

><p>At Godo's house, Tirsa was coming out of a sound sleep, her dreams had turned into nightmares, and she couldn't distinguish unreality from what could possibly be psychic visions. Horrible images of bloodied babies and alien monsters pervaded her sleep, and when she woke, Tirsa was screaming, exhausted. Yuffie rushed over to her side, hugging the young girl.<p>

"Tirsa, it's me, Yuffie, you're okay," the Wutaian princess said quickly, trying to comfort Tirsa. "You're in Wutai, at my dad's house - "

"I know...I remember," Tirsa replied flatly. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned, blinking her eyes, letting awareness and wakefulness wash over her. Tirsa felt uneasy, even in this tranquil setting; her room opened out into a courtyard, where Godo had a zen garden.

"That looks nice," Tirsa murmured absently, then looked back to the female ninja, who was prodding her to get up. She snorted, and said, "Yuffie? I thought you hated me. Said I was stealing your materia..."

Yuffie chuckled at that. "Yeah, well...I was wrong then, sorry," she replied, but her eyes narrowed. "I know you're a thief, though." As Tirsa bristled, opening her mouth to protest, Yuffie shook her head. "No, no - it's okay!" she said, giggling. "What I meant was - I steal things too. Though I prefer to call it 'materia hunting'," she added, grinning.

"Wanna go on a hunt with me, after you're dressed?" Yuffie asked Tirsa, eyeing her carefully. She wanted to get Tirsa's mind off of everything; the poor child looked haunted, restless, even after a good night's sleep - she'd been through a lot.

"I suppose we could," Tirsa said reluctantly, somewhat intrigued by the idea, but she wanted to see her father first, and Cloud. "But what about my dad, and Cloud? Are they both still in the hospital?" Before Yuffie could answer, a loud crash was heard out in the hallway, followed by a shouted string of expletives.

"Never mind," Tirsa said, laughing as she rushed to the door. "I think I found my dad." She threw open the door to see Reno there in his wheelchair, wincing as he tried to stand, Rude flanking him, ready to catch his partner if he fell.

"Tirsa," Reno murmured, his voice ragged. He struggled to get out of the chair, hating this feeling, that his body, normally lithe and strong, was failing him. "Sorry," he mumbled, slumping back into the chair, suddenly feeling ashamed, embarrassed. "You shouldn't be seeing me like this?"

"Like what?" Tirsa shot back. "You've been through _hell_, dad. We all have. Where is Cloud? Is he okay?"

"I haven't seen him yet, they were operating on him," Reno replied, taking Tirsa's hand in his own. He kissed her knuckles, banged up and scraped from their ordeal aboard the alien craft. "All my fault, you shouldn't have gotten mixed up in this."

"I'm the one who didn't listen to you," Tirsa reminded him gently. "I was supposed to stay in the helicopter with Rude, and I didn't, I almost fell off the stupid ladder - "

"Yeah, that's right," Reno said, a faint smile on his lips. "Well...when we get back, Tirsa...you are _so_ grounded." The two laughed quietly, and Tirsa wrapped her arms around her father in a gentle hug, fearing that she was hurting him by doing so. Reno sucked in his breath painfully at her touch; the wound was still raw, painful.

"I'm sorry dad, am I hurting you?" Tirsa asked him, worried. Reno shook his head negatively. "No," he lied. "I'm fine. I'm a fast healer yo, just ask Rude!"

Yuffie was unusually quiet, and a thoughtful look crossed her face. "What if...what if there's nothing to go back to?" she mused, shaking her head. "What if they come _here_?" Rude gave Yuffie a _look, _and hissed at her to 'be quiet',not wanting Tirsa to be upset by this, but the girl didn't appear bothered at all.

"I don't think they will," Tirsa said, a faraway look in her eyes. "I think...that we'll stop them. Cloud will stop them. But he will have to sacrifice something very important to him..."

Reno's eyes narrowed in a frown as he became more agitated. "Cloud's been through enough! Sacrifice? Sacrifice what? No, I'm not letting anything harm him, or you, Tirsa, or anyone else I care about, you got that?"

"Sorry dad...I didn't mean to upset you," Tirsa murmured, blinking as the vision left. "It just...whatever it was, it came to me."

"It's okay, girl," Reno assured her. He sighed, and tried once again to stand from his chair, holding onto the wall. "Hate this fucking thing," he muttered, kicking at it. "Rude, take it back, I don't want it. I can walk, I promise. Please?"

As Rude was about to answer, Tifa appeared. "Reno, you're up," she said, smiling.

"Yeah," Reno answered, as Tirsa and Yuffie moved to support him, standing on either side of him. "Could use another shot of FullCure or Regen, eh, Yuffie?" he said, waggling an eyebrow. The ninja grinned. "Sure...I can hook you up. Hold on a sec, I gotta get my case."

As Yuffie went to rummage through her materia case, Reno turned to Tifa, his eyes questioning. "So...is Cloud out of surgery?"

"He is," Tifa replied, nodding, her eyes brimming with tears; happy tears, as she appeared to be smiling. "And he's okay, Reno, they got it all _out_ of him. He's asking for you, but he's still very groggy."

"Oh, thank Shiva," Reno murmured, ready to cry himself. "Tirsa, did you hear that? He's okay. I wanna go see him, right away, after Yuffie doses me up first." Rude nodded, and pointed at the wheelchair.

"No," Reno said shaking his head. "Told you, I can walk." Yuffie came over with the materia, and cast the spell, a soft, green healing glow emenating from the orb. Reno sighed as he felt the pain fade away from his chest, and his limbs. "That's better, yo," he declared, and thanked Yuffie.

"No problem, Turkey," she replied, grinning as Reno pretended to glare at her, and swatted playfully at the ninja.

"Turkey?" Tirsa echoed, snickering. "I like that."

"Yeah, it's Princess's special name for me," Reno replied. "But how come you don't call Rude or Elena that, Yuffie? They're Turks too."

"I'll take you to Cloud now, Reno," Tifa said gently, putting an arm around Tirsa. "You too, Tirsa, Cloud's been asking for you too."

They reached the medical facility - the lab was, in fact, a small-scale hospital, equipped with a trauma center, but it was only capable of holding about twenty or so patients; it wasn't yet a hospital that was open to the public in Wutai, but Godo Kisaragi had been working on plans to expand the lab into a full-scale hospital at some point in the future.

A weary-looking Tseng, still in hospital scrubs, was there to greet them, a cup of coffee firmly in his hand. "Reno, you're looking much better," Tseng told him, the exhaustion sounding in his voice.

"Thanks. You look tired, sir," Reno replied, full of questions about Cloud's procedure. "So how did it go? Did they get it all out? I hope they killed the fucking thing."

"Yes, the life form was fully extracted from Cloud," Tseng replied, his eyes holding an odd expression. "The life form itself was not destroyed, however."

"Why the hell not?" Reno snapped, his eyes full of blue fire. "That thing is fucking dangerous Tseng, you saw those things, what they're capable of!"

"I know," Tseng replied, shaking his head. "And I argued against this - believe me - but Scarlet and Heidegger overruled me, and Rufus is siding with them. Scarlet and Heidegger want to breed this thing, and use it in ShinRa's Bioweapons Division."

"Are they fucking crazy!" Reno shouted angrily at Tseng. "I'm sorry, sir - I mean no disrespect, but seriously - there will be nothing left if they breed that thing!"

"I know," Tseng repeated, his voice tinged with annoyance. "They believe they can contain it. I told them they were fools to think such a thing. There is something else, Reno. Before you see Cloud...there is something you need to know. Cloud...is behaving very strangely, he may simply be delusional - a bit foggy, after coming out of anesthesia."

"Strangely?" Reno echoed, his face a mask of worry. He held tightly to Tirsa's hand, trying to comfort her, but seeking support from his daughter as well. "What do you mean, _strangely_?"

Tseng sighed, and took another sip from his coffee. He didn't want to tell this to Reno, he really didn't, but Tseng also thought it would be better if Reno was prepared.

"He believes...that this alien - the human-xenomorph hybrid we extracted from his body - is his biological child," Tseng said slowly. "And he believes that you are the father, Reno."

"What?" Reno spluttered. "That - that's not possible, it's just _not_." He looked helplessly to the others, but nobody knew what to say.

"I realize that," Tseng replied, yawning. "Excuse me. It's been a long day. As I said...Cloud appears to be delusional. He is insisting that the 'baby', as he calls it, remains within his sight at all times."

"You didn't," Reno blurted. "Please tell me you didn't leave that thing in the same room as Cloud, after taking it out of him!"

"We did not," Tseng assured Reno. "It has been put into an isolation chamber, per Scarlet's orders. Cloud is under the impression that...the 'baby', is in the nursery."

"Stop calling it that," Reno snapped. "It's not a fucking baby, it's a goddamned _monster_."

"Reno..." Tseng finally stood, and drained his coffee. "I'm so sorry. I hope Cloud's current mental state is merely temporary. He is very eager to see you, you know."

"Okay," Reno said, suddenly feeling very ambivalent about letting Tirsa see Cloud like this. "Tirsa? Maybe you'd better go back with Tifa - "

"No," Tirsa replied quickly, shaking her head. "I want to go. Cloud is hurt and confused, dad. He needs everyone who loves him to help him."

"You know, Tirsa...sometimes you're smarter than me," Reno replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Okay. Let's go." Tseng quickly directed them to where Cloud was in the recovery room, and excused himself to get showered and to catch some sleep.

Cloud appeared to be worn out, but alert, and smiled broadly when he saw Reno and Tirsa enter the room. "I'm so glad you're here, Reno, gods...I missed you," he said, motioning the two of them to sit. "Have you seen the baby?" Cloud asked, blue eyes wide with excitement. "She's beautiful, Reno. So beautiful. A girl, Tirsa. You have a sister now!"

"Cloud - " Reno began, his voice faltering. He wasn't sure how to handle it - should he feed into Cloud's delusions, and hope they were merely temporary? Or should he try and dissuade Cloud from those thoughts, and tell him the truth?

"Cloud, babe, you've been very sick," Reno told him. Tirsa put a hand on his arm, and shook her head. _No_, her eyes said. _Not yet. The truth will shock him, it will hurt him._

"I'm so happy for you, daddy," Tirsa told Cloud sweetly. "I've always wanted a sister." She sat near Cloud and patted his hand. Reno felt his heart shatter, and a tear slipped out.

"Why are you crying, Reno?" Cloud asked, worried. "You should be happy! I gave you a child, I really don't know how it happened - it shouldn't be possible, we're both men - " Cloud frowned, his eyes misting over. "No, that cant be right..." he muttered to himself. "How - did Hojo do this? I can't...remember..." His hands ghosted over the bandage covering his abdomen where the incision had been made.

_He doesn't remember_, Reno realized sadly, his mouth hanging open. _He doesn't remember a damned thing about the aliens, or what they did to him. _

"I have to ask him, Tirsa," Reno murmured under his breath to his daughter. "Cloud? Can you tell me...what's the last thing you remember?"

Cloud's brows knit together in a frown as he thought about it, then his face reddened. "I can't talk about _that_ in front of Tirsa!" Reno smiled a sad smile - it almost would have been cute, if the whole situation wasn't entirely pathetic. Cloud's mind was befuddled, that much was clear; what they didn't know is whether or not this was temporary.

"At least you remember _me_, right?" Tirsa said softly, her eyes searching Cloud's. She was trying to make some sense of the visions - if they even were visions, and not just nightmares - but Cloud's mention of his 'baby' made those horrific images come rushing back.

"Of course I do," Cloud replied, looking strangely at the two of them. "What's going on? There's something you're not telling me, isn't there," he added accusingly.

"We'll talk more after you've rested, Cloud," Reno said evasively. Cloud seemed not to hear Reno, and sitting up, grabbed Reno by the lapels and pulled him over, looking suspiciously at the bandaged area of his chest.

"What happened to you?" Cloud demanded. "You've been hurt," he said accusingly.

"I'll explain later," Reno insisted. "Yeah, I got hurt, but I'm okay, I promise. You need to rest, you've just had major surgery, Cloud..."

"I suppose you're right," Cloud replied, yawning. "Having a baby is exhausting." He grinned at that, and Reno gave a reluctant half-smile in return.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is," Reno murmured. He bent over and kissed Cloud on the cheek. "I missed you, Cloud. So much. I'm glad you're okay." _Physically, anyway._

"And you're going to tell me everything later, right? When I wake up?" Cloud pressed, his eyes already sliding shut.

"I promise," Reno assured him. "I'll tell you everything." _Though I have no idea how I'm going to convince you any of it is true._

"Bye, daddy," Tirsa said, hugging Cloud gently. "Get some rest, we'll come back later."

"Bye, Tirsa," Cloud replied, yawning and smacking his lips, as sleep began to take over. "See you...later." As Cloud drifted off to sleep, Reno and Tirsa quickly left, and they ran into Dr. Kisaragi outside the door.

"You're Reno, yes?" he inquired, adjusting his glasses, setting them higher on the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, I'm Reno," the Turk replied, wanting to immediately grill the doctor as to Cloud's mental state. "The operation went okay, yeah?"

"We extracted the life form, Tseng tells me he filled you in a bit," Dr. Kisaragi told him.

"He did," Reno said, nodding. "He also told me Cloud's flipped his damned lid, thinks he actually had a baby."

"Yes," Dr. Kisaragi said slowly. "Well...here's the thing. Cloud is technically right, from a biological standpoint."

"What!" Reno exploded. "That can't be true, he's male. Trust me, I know just _how_ male he is, too," he added, with an apologetic glance at Tirsa. "Uh, sorry about that."

"We've taken some cells from the...hybrid," Dr. Kisaragi informed Reno. "Here's the interesting thing about these xenomorphs, once they leave the host's body. As they grow and develop within the host...they take on some of the host's biological characteristics. We've seen a few that took over the body of a dog; and the resulting alien resembled a dog, walking on all fours, and behaving very much like a domesticated canine."

"So...what, this thing leeched Cloud's DNA, and now my husband's feeling all maternal toward it?" Reno mused, trying to sort it out. Tirsa stood by quietly, nodding. _ It's all starting to make sense,_ she thought. _And I have to tell dad about my bad dreams, about the babies. Maybe he'll be able to figure it out, I can't, not yet._

"Yes," Dr. Kisaragi answered. "You've summed it up pretty well. And as far as giving the straight truth to Cloud - I'm glad you didn't do that just now. His mind is very fragile, you know. It's been fractured before - "

"Yeah, I know," Reno said wearily. "I know. More than once, as a matter of face" Reno suddenly felt like his arms and legs were made of lead, as if he was weighed down; the exhaustion was setting in again, he knew now he'd overdone things, and needed to allow his body to heal from the injuries he'd sustained. The materia Yuffie had used on him had helped, but Reno was still exhausted, and it was catching up to him.

"I gotta go back and rest a bit, Tirsa," Reno told his daughter. "Thank you, Doctor," he called to Dr. Kisaragi, who had excused himself. "When can we set Cloud straight? I get that we can't rush it, but..."

"I'll consult with one of my colleagues, a psychiatrist," Dr. Kisaragi replied. "I'm sorry, I know you'd like this to go much more quickly, but we can't risk it."

"I understand," Reno said glumly, sighing. "Thank you...I guess we'll be in touch." He waved after the doctor, and walked back toward where Rude was waiting for him with the hated wheelchair, Tirsa helping him along.

"Rude..." Reno's voice broke into a sob, and he pitched forward into the strong arms of his best friend and partner. "Rude...Cloud's gone. He's there, but he's _gone_. He's lost his mind...again. And I don't know if I can help him get it back this time, I just don't know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just a note, this is NOT an MPREG fic, though I have nothing against them. :) Part of xenomorph biology does involve just what Dr. Kisaragi stated - the resulting spawn takes on some of the host's characteristics. The Xenomorph Wiki (google it, it's easy to find) has a lot of cool info about that concept. Or maybe it's only interesting to me. So there's a bit of that going on, the Xeno leeching Cloud's DNA, and then we have poor Cloud losing his MIND again. Reno's going to have a rough road ahead, and so is Tirsa! **

**Masaru Kisaragi is an OC, just because I needed a doctor. :) **

**Sorry for the delay in this and other fic updates, life got a bit crazy once again, but I think my muse has returned, hopefully for good this time!**


	15. The Devil Inside

**Warnings for this chapter: Language, attempted rape**

* * *

><p>Several days later, Reno was fit enough to be walking again, and wandered the hall outside of Cloud's room, hoping the man would soon wake from his deep sleep so that he could talk to him. Reno was also eager to make Cloud realize what had actually happened, but his mental state was still very fragile. The last time Cloud woke and talked to Reno, it was clear that he was still under the impression that he and Reno had a child together - and that the alien life form that had just been removed from his body, was their 'baby.'<p>

As Reno made another pass, Cloud stirred awake, blinking his eyes as they slowly open. He stretched and yawned; his body felt different somehow, and not just because of the surgery. Cloud realized that despite the large incision in his abdomen, he felt unbelievably good - as though he was nearly healed already.

_How can that be? _Cloud wondered. Sitting up in bed with little effort, he pulled back the blanket, and then jerked up the hem of his hospital gown, pulling the bandages back gingerly, wincing as he imagined how awful the incision probably looked. Cloud inhaled sharply just as Reno walked in the door, smiling nervously.

"Babe, you're awake," Reno blurted, his words coming out in a rush. "What are you doing? Should you be sitting up like that?" he asked him, concerned.

"I feel fine," Cloud replied incredulously, shrugging his shoulders. "Look. Look at where they cut me, Reno, it looks - "

"It looks like it's completely healed," Reno murmured, the color draining from his face. "Huh. How about that." Inside, Reno was worried as hell; he knew Cloud tended to heal more quickly than normal thanks to the Mako in his system, but this went beyond that._ He shouldn't have healed so quickly, wait...his eyes - they don't look right -_

"Cloud, something wrong with your eyes?" Reno asked, studying them intently. Had they always been this..._green_? No, wait - Cloud always had _blue_ eyes, what was going on?

"Wait...they're blue again," Reno whispered, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, thinking he was perhaps seeing things.

"What?" Cloud said dumbly, shrugging his shoulders. He pulled Reno down in a hard embrace, grinning. "Something wrong?"

"My eyes are playing tricks on me, I think," Reno muttered. He stifled a yawn; maybe he was overtired, and needing some rest. And yet, Cloud's lips were on his neck, his jaw, then his lips; the kisses soft and butterfly-like first, then harder, more insistent. Shit. Cloud was _horny_. Several days after major abdominal surgery, and Cloud was horny?

Not that Reno was about to complain about this, but he knew enough to know this was decidedly _not_ normal. "Cloud, wait - we shouldn't, babe, you're healing - hell, _I'm_ healing - "

"Shut up," Cloud snarled, pushing Reno onto his back, he easily straddled him, pinning him down on the hospital bed, forcing his tongue down his husband's throat. He felt Reno's entire body tense, and some small part of Cloud's mind called to his conscious self in a panic.

Stop_ it! This isn't **you** who's doing this! _But another part of Cloud's fracturing mind laughed at that little voice, and forcibly kissed Reno, choking him.

Reno couldn't even breathe; Cloud was incredibly strong - stronger than ever before, Reno reckoned, and his attempts to fight him off were futile. Cloud kissed him savagely, his hand reaching down, easing off the soft cotton hospital pajama pants.

_That ain't Cloud in there! _Reno shouted internally. He knew, just by looking into his eyes, those dead eyes, this was not the man he married. _Cloud would never force himself on me like this! _Finally, scrabbling frantically on the bed, Reno found a moment - and a target. His knee shot up as Cloud leaned over him, and Reno nailed his husband right in the groin.

Cloud howled in pain, and nearly fell to the floor. He clutched the safety rail of the bed, hanging on, as Reno skittered back against the pillows, rubbing his throat and looking at Cloud strangely.

Finally, Cloud snapped back to the present and looked at Reno, confused. "Reno? What just happened?" Cloud asked, a strange metallic taste in his throat.

"Get the fuck away from me," Reno retorted, crying, as he got off of the bed, backing away from Cloud. "Just - let me get the doctor, babe, something ain't right." Cloud saw the fear in Reno's face, and wanted to cry himself, as Reno pressed the call button, urging Cloud to lie back down in the bed. Cloud swallowed thickly, his tongue felt strange and foreign in his mouth. Guilt and fear lined his expression as flashes of memory came back, like sudden pinpricks of light.

"What did I do, Reno?" Cloud asked, his voice sounding odd and detached to him, like it was coming out of someone else's mouth, and not his own. "Did I...did I _hurt_ you, Reno?"

"Forget it," Reno muttered, setting his jaw. "It wasn't you doing it, babe. I know that much. I know that in _here_," he added, touching his hand over his heart. He stifled another sob just as the doctor came in, flanked by two nurses.

"Doc, glad you came," Reno said shakily, trying to bravely cover up how damned scared he was for Cloud's mental state. It was true, though he'd never admit it out loud - Reno of the Turks was _afraid_. Afraid that this time Cloud's mind might not come back together and mend itself, as it had done more than once in the past.

"Are you all right, sir?" one of the nurses said quietly, correctly interpreting the tension in Reno's slim frame. The Turk nodded, waving his hand dismissively. "We heard shouting in here - "

"I'm _fine_," Reno replied, biting his lip as he struggled to get the next few words out without totally breaking down himself. "My husband...is not himself." _Fucking understatement of the year. _Reno swallowed his emotions as he saw the look on Cloud's face - a bit fearful himself, and looking utterly confused as to what was going on around him.

"He's right," Cloud muttered, looking down at the floor suddenly, unable to meet Reno's eyes. _My gods, what did I try to do to him? What the hell is wrong with me? "_He's right. I don't feel right, and I don't know what's wrong with me, but something is very very wrong. I feel..." Cloud paused, his brows knitting together as he struggled to find the right words.

"What is it that you feel, Cloud?" the doctor said gently, trying to coax his patient into talking. "You're safe here - your husband is right there, too, and he can stay for as long as you want."

"Don't send him away, _please_!" Cloud cried out. The desperation in his voice made everyone in the room freeze for a moment; this wasn't like Cloud Strife, to sound needy. The truth was, Cloud was just as scared as Reno was, as both realized he was losing his grip on his sanity and the pieces of his mind yet _again_.

"I can feel it, you know," Cloud murmured, beckoning Reno closer. Reno, still reeling a bit from being attacked, hesitantly inched his way over to Cloud. He looked into Cloud's eyes and recognized the man he loved once again. _He's in there, he's still in there, thank Shiva. **That** is the Cloud I know. So what the fuck just happened a few minutes ago? Who was that? _

"You can feel _what_, babe?" Reno asked Cloud gently, taking his hand in his own - it felt cold and clammy to the touch. Reno's first thought was that Cloud felt unhealthy, although the nurse who was taking his vital signs confirmed that everything was normal.

_Normal. Cloud had a fucking alien growing inside of him, there **is **no more normal, _Reno thought grimly.

"I...can feel it, right behind my eyes," Cloud said, his voice dreamlike and airy. He looked away from Reno, staring at the ceiling.

"Feel what, Cloud?" Reno pressed. "What is it? You getting the headaches again?" He thought back to the first time Cloud's mind had cracked - and was then mended, after being submerged in the Lifestream, and recalled the man having complained about suffering from horrible headaches, particularly when under the influence of Jenova.

A soft knock came at the door, interrupting them. One of the nurses went over to answer it, and Reno's head jerked around as he saw Rude and Tirsa standing there.

"They're coming," Tirsa blurted out, her eyes wide and fearful. "I had a vision, dad...they'll be here soon, and they want Cloud."

"Shit," Reno cursed, shaking his head. "Have they been sighted yet, Rude? And why do they want Cloud? We got the thing out of him, and it's going to be destroyed, I think - right?" He felt Cloud's hand tighten around his own, crushing the bones; turning to face him, Reno was taken aback to see his husband's face transform into a mask of sheer rage. Rude frowned and moved in closer, instinctively placing himself in between Cloud and Tirsa; the Turk knew something was very, very wrong with Cloud.

"Not a thing," Cloud hissed through clenched teeth, his hand like a vise around Reno's. "You're not hurting her, you bastard."

"Let go, you fucker, you're breaking my _hand_!" Reno shrieked, and the horrid sound of the small bones in his hand cracking filled the small room.

The doctor moved quickly, jabbing a hypodermic into Cloud's flesh as one of the nurses cast sleepel on the suddenly hostile patient. Cloud collapsed back onto the bed, releasing Reno's hand, as the combination of the powerful sedative and sleep spell took over. Reno gingerly clutched his hand to his chest, angrily waving away the doctor who was trying to look at it.

"Look, I _know_ your hand is broken, now let me take a look at it - please?" the doctor said evenly. Reno sighed raggedly, sadly gazing at the now-unconscious form of his husband, and nodded, sitting in a chair as the doctor quickly examined him. He gave him an injection of some narcotics to ease the pain, at least for a little while.

"Nurse, please take Reno down to radiology, then casting. He'll need an X-ray, then the bones will need to be re-set, we'll apply Regen and Cure, and hope for the best. We need to make sure the bones weren't completely crushed just now."

"Fucking great," Reno muttered. Tirsa put a hand on her father's shoulder, her eyes filling with tears. "He didn't mean to hurt you, you know," she whispered. "Cloud - the monster is inside of him, trying to control him."

Reno sat up and stared at his daughter, eyes narrowing. "Monster? What monster? They got the filthy little beast out of him, yo, he had surgery!"

"But it's still in his _mind_, dad," Tirsa told him. "The alien, I mean. It's trying to control him."

Reno groaned. "This is just like Sephiroth all over again, damn it. Except, Sephiroth didn't have acid for blood." As a wheelchair was gotten for him, Reno stood, Rude and Tirsa helping him to stand as the pain from his broken hand made him hiss. He cast a sad, backwards glance at Cloud as he left; the orderlies were affixing restraints to Cloud's arms and legs, tying him to the bed.

"It's not right, doing that," Reno muttered angrily. "Cloud is a good man. He's not a fucking _animal_, doc."

The doctor murmured sympathetically. "I realize that, Reno. We all know who Cloud Strife is, and what he's done for this planet," he added softly. "But we need to keep him from hurting himself, or someone else, until we can figure out how to help him." He turned to the other nurse and called out some orders. "We need armed guards here," the doctor said quietly. "Until Cloud has better control of his emotions. Please contact our head of security, and have them send over several troopers."

"I want to talk to Tseng," Reno said stubbornly, glancing over at Rude. "I need him."

Rude nodded, walking alongside Reno's wheelchair as he was brought down the hall to the radiology department. "I'll get him down here. He's preparing the battlements right now, along with the infantry. Wutai will be under attack soon."

"Just like way back when, huh partner?" Reno murmured. "The beginning of the end...with Angeal and Genesis."

"Yeah," Rude said flatly, as Tirsa looked them both quizzically.

"Dad? Who are they? Angeal and Genesis?" Tirsa asked her father.

"Great men, great soldiers," Reno replied, fixing a steely gaze upon his daughter. "But also...they were also _monsters_." He laughed sardonically at that, realizing the irony in his own words. "And looks like history repeats itself. I just hope...that Cloud can survive all of this," he added, shaking his head sadly.

"He can," Tirsa said confidently. "I know he can. We just have to get the bad monster out of him," she said.

Reno chuckled softly. _She sounds like a little kid saying that. Hell...she **is** still a kid, keep forgetting that sometimes. Poor girl was forced to grow up too fast...and I missed it all. Missed her childhood, and before you know it she'll be all grown up._

"Tirsa?" Reno said quietly, feeling a bit dazed from the narcotic he'd been given. "When this is all over...I wanna take you out for ice cream." Tirsa grinned.

"That sounds really good, dad," she said, smiling, trying to mask her fear; the young clairvoyant could sense that the aliens were not terribly far away. Soon they'd be landing on the island of Wutai, and a battle to end all battles would begin. Many would die; but some would survive, and that was what Tirsa kept focusing on, the visions of those who didn't fall prey to the aliens.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another update that was long overdue...I am slowly but surely trying to catch up around here! Poor Cloud...and poor Reno...I am horribly cruel to them, eh? Cloud's obviously not in his right mind, and once he's back to himself, he's going to feel really horrible for hurting Reno. The battle is coming to them in the next chapter...but also...what has happened to the baby alien queen that was removed from Cloud? Wouldn't Hojo love to get his hands on something like that? Hmm...**


	16. One Of My Turns

_Don't look so frightened  
>This is just a passing phase<br>One of my bad days_

**"One Of My Turns" - Pink Floyd**

* * *

><p>The broken bone in his hand wasn't the gravest physical injury Reno had suffered by far in his life, but the mere fact that his husband had been the one to inflict it upon him stung more than the actual physical pain. Reno felt drained and tired; the broken bone had been reset and a cast put on, and he'd been given a cure spell, along with a painkiller which he'd initially refused, wanting to be fully awake and ready for the impending alien invasion.<p>

Tseng had been summoned and was by Reno's side, as he'd requested; Rude and Tirsa were waiting outside as the doctor wrote up some discharge instructions for Reno. The Second in Command of the Turks was growing a bit irritated by his supervisor's cautionary, almost protective attitude towards him.

"You are not fit for battle right now, Reno," Tseng told him, as Reno began arguing with the doctor, refusing an additional prescription for pain medication. "Take the medication; anyone can see you are in pain."

"And so what?" Reno retorted, grimacing a bit as the orthopedist helped him into an arm sling and adjusted it to fit his body. "Doesn't matter if I hurt, there's aliens coming, and oh by the way, my husband's out of his fucking mind aagain," he added with a glare toward Tseng. "No wheelchair," Reno said, shaking his head at the orderly who returned with the chair, ready to help the Turk into it. "I can walk just fine, man."

The Wutaiian said nothing for a moment, simply nodded and helped Reno to his feet. "You will rest for now," Tseng said decisively, intending to help Reno back to his room. "The Cure spell is a high level one, you should heal rather quickly."

"That's correct," the orthopedist said, cutting in. "Reno, you won't be in the sling for more than a few days. Come back on Monday and we'll remove the cast."

"I don't _have_ a few days," Reno argued. "Those things are coming, and they're coming here soon, Tirsa saw it! And Cloud...I gotta help Cloud - "

"Take care of healing first, yourself," Tseng interrupted. "Look, Reno. Of course you're concerned for Cloud, we all are. The psychiatrist is with him now - "

"Oh, great," Reno said bitterly. "He doesn't need a shrink. We need to have a gods-damned exorcism, to get that alien out of his head. Fine, Tseng, _fine_. I'll go rest for a little bit, just a nap. But I need to see Cloud when I wake up."

Tseng nodded, apparently satisfied with that. "I'll get you back to your room, and send Rude over later to check on you."

"I don't need a babysitter, yo," Reno said stonily, glaring even harder at Tseng. "Besides, Tirsa's gonna be with me, right? Where is my daughter, anyway, wasn't she just here? I wanna see her. And I don't want to be in the clinic anymore, I want to recuperate in my own room, and get some rest." he added. Godo's house had many rooms available for guests, and there was one reserved for Reno, Tirsa and Cloud. Of course, Cloud was currently sedated, and would be kept restrained to the hospital bed until his mental status improved. Reno's expression saddened as he thought of the hell Cloud was going through right now; under the impression that the alien parasite that had been removed from his abdomen was actually his child with Reno. The Turk shook his head with distaste_. Monster. That's all it is, is a monster. I want to kill it._ Reno silently vowed he would do just that, and to hell with the Weapons Division's plans for keeping it alive. He knew Cloud might try to fight him, even try to kill him, if he caught wind of what Reno planned. Reno had to be careful, silent, and not reveal his plan to anyone. Not even Rude, or his daughter.

"Tirsa is waiting down the hall with Rude right now," Tseng told him, eyeing him carefully. Reno had been silently musing for some time now, and a quiet Reno was usually a sign of trouble to come, in Tseng's experience. "I'm sure she wants to see how you're doing, though, she's been asking for you."

"Good," Reno replied, nodding his head. "I can walk, Tseng, I'm fine – " Reno muttered again irritably, swaying as he did so, stumbling into the wall and banging his injured hand against it. The pain was like an electric current traveling up his arm, and tears sparked his eyes. It felt like everything was crumbling; Cloud was crazy, _his_ Cloud – the one who was supposed to love Reno and not bloody well break his hand – Cloud had lost his mind again and thought that the alien parasite they'd just removed from him was his baby. And not only _that_, it seemed an alien invasion of the entire Planet was imminent. Reports were coming in that the xenomorphs had already wiped out some of the rebuilt sectors in Midgar.

_And we thought Sephiroth and Meteor was bad, damn,_ Reno mused, gently rubbing his injured hand with his good one as Tseng helped him hobble down the hallway to where his daughter was waiting for him. Rude gave Reno a look from behind the ever-present shades, able to communicate with his partner with simple eyebrow quirks after all these years. Rude nodded toward Cloud's room, down an adjacent corridor. "I'll be outside his room, Reno, don't worry," Rude told his fellow Turk. "Heard he's resting now, anyway."

"Yeah, well...they sedated him," Reno mumbled, raising his eyes to meet Tirsa's. The girl seemed exhausted and sad, understandably so, given all they'd been through so far. Reno was overcome by a sudden wave of sympathy for this troubled girl who'd unexpectedly landed in his life. Tirsa's life had been rough enough up until this point, and Reno was feeling guilty that she'd been uprooted again and subjected to unspeakable terror in the past few days. Granted, the alien invasion wasn't exactly Reno's fault, but he felt guilty nonetheless. He wanted Tirsa to have a normal life now, and stability; something he'd never had as a child. Something he'd never really had _period_, not until falling in with the Turks, then after Meteorfall - falling in love with Cloud. Together, in post-apocalyptic Midgar, they'd managed to carve out a slice of normalcy, and now it seemed their world was going to be upended again, and Reno didn't know if Cloud's mind would manage to heal after this.

Tirsa was smiling, and putting something into Reno's hand; it felt like cool marble and metal. Looking down, Reno was surprised to see the pendant he'd been gifted with just days before, the Hydra summon that Tirsa and Cloud had picked out together for his birthday. "I kept it safe for you while you were getting looked at," Tirsa explained, fighting back tears and fatigue. A yawn slipped out despite her best efforts to do so, and Reno smiled, holding the pendant back out to his daughter.

"Thanks, Tirsa," Reno replied gratefully. "Hey - can you help me get it back on?" he asked, bowing his head slightly so she could place the pendant back around his neck. "Kinda hard to do with one hand all bandaged up," Reno added, grinning.

"Okay," Tirsa answered, biting her bottom lip in concentration as she worked the clasp open. Her mannerisms were so similar to Reno's it was uncanny, and the resemblance did not go unnoticed by either Tseng or Rude.

"Go get some rest, Reno," Tseng told his second in command firmly. "Both you and Tirsa. Rude will inform you right away if there is any change in Cloud's condition." He nodded his head toward Rude, who had taken up his post down the hall in front of Cloud's room, arms folded over his broad chest.

"I know he will," Reno said, turning away with a reluctant sigh. "And I know we need to rest, but I don't like feeling so helpless. I'm just gonna sit up worrying about those things attacking us, anyway."

"Use the sedatives you've been prescribed," Tseng advised, a slight smirk on his face. "And if you don't, I may well cast Sleepel on you. ShinRa's ground forces on the eastern continent have contained the threat in and around Greater Midgar. And," Tseng went on, "the alien ship has been destroyed, we bombed it."

"Good," Reno said with a decisive nod, punctuated by a loud yawn. "Okay...yeah, I am tired, and I promise I'll get a nap in. But I wanna hear first thing if anything changes with Cloud, okay?" It was at least the third or fourth time he'd reminded Tseng of this, but the Director reassured him once again that Reno would be informed right away if the need arose.

Tirsa began leading Reno away, gently tugging him by his good arm; she knew he was trying to drag things out and remain close to Cloud's room, but she was feeling the need for rest herself. "They promised they would tell you, dad, so let's just go back, okay?"

Reno sighed in mock defeat, then grinned. "Okay. Lead the way, Tirsa. I haven't slept in a real room since we got here, it'll be nice to be somewhere that doesn't smell like bleach and antiseptic," he added with a grimace.

* * *

><p>Cloud's drug-induced sleep was anything but fitful; plagued with nightmares and hallucinations, he tossed and turned, encumbered by the restraints that held him to the hospital bed. He flinched at a memory of the face-hugger alien parasite coming at him, launching at his face and attaching itself. As the haze of the IV sedatives and anti-hallucinogenic drugs began to wear off, Cloud became vaguely aware of another presence in the room, and felt his skin prickle, wary and alert, ready to fight whoever it was.<p>

"Who's there?" Cloud demanded hoarsely, smacking his parched lips as he tried to get his voice to work. "Who are you!" he attempted to shout, but his voice sounded cracked, weak. Cloud hated how weak he sounded, and how helpless he felt, strapped to the bed. "Let me out of these - "

"Cloud. _Cloud." _The woman said his name twice like that; softly, but the second time it was more firm, though the tone was kindly. Cloud looked over to his left to see a young woman sitting there, black steel-rimmed eyeglasses sliding halfway down her long, thin nose. She smiled over them before pushing them back up with her index finger. "I am Doctor Esa Handel, and I am here to speak to you about what you've been through...Or, to simply listen, should you need to talk. About anything," the doctor added.

"You're a head doctor," Cloud said accusingly, frowning. "A shrink." He'd been to this type of doctor before, and that time had not been by his choice either. Cloud shut his eyes and rudely turned his back to Doctor Handel.

"Go away," Cloud said curtly. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied. "And I don't want to talk to anyone, I want to go back to sleep."

"You've been sleeping for several days now, Cloud," Dr. Handel said gently. "You've been through a great trauma and major surgery - do you remember anything at all?" she went on, prodding him as gently as possible.

Cloud grunted in disgust, tugging at the restraints. "I assaulted my husband," he replied robotically. "I hurt him...I hurt Reno. That's why I'm tied up now. I remember that. But I didn't mean to hurt Reno, I didn't - I love him - " He paused, blinking, looking around the room, seeming to realize for the first time that Reno wasn't there. Nor was that girl - _the young girl with the red hair, what was her name?_

_"_Tirsa!" Cloud barked the name out loud, his mind slowly filling in the blanks. "Reno, Tirsa - my family, where is my family?" _The baby - wasn't there a baby? I thought...I had a baby - no, not possible. That's just not possible, I'm a man. I can't have a baby..._ Cloud looked down toward his abdomen, a perfectly flat, male torso.

"I had a baby," Cloud said, his face searching Dr. Handel's. "Didn't I? Reno and I...our baby..."

"Cloud, you did not have a baby," Dr. Handel said calmly but firmly. "There was an alien parasite in your body, but it was removed, surgically. The procedure was much like a caesarean section, but...you are one hundred percent male, Cloud. You are not capable of female reproduction."

"Parasite?" Cloud nearly spat, confusion setting in. How dare this bitch speak about my child that way? "_Parasite_? That is my _daughter_, Dr. Handel, I will not have you calling her a parasite. I want to see her. Bring her to me," he ordered, pulling at his restraints again. Suddenly, Cloud's expression changed from angry, to sad - and confused.

"Wait, that's not right, is it?" Cloud said quietly, his voice pained. His head sank back into the flat pillow and he sighed. "There were...these creatures. They didn't have eyes...and they put me in the wall." Cloud blinked rapidly, his mind flashing back to when he'd been stuck in one of the cocoons on the alien ship. "Doctor? What's real?" Dark circles were under Cloud's eyes as he looked down at his arms, IV's stuck in the veins of his wrist, straps wrapped about his forearms, trapping him to the bed. He began to get the oddest feeling that he wasn't even in his own body, that this was some sort of horrible nightmare he couldn't wake from. "Am I still sleeping?"

"You're awake, Cloud, and you are talking to me, I can assure you of that much," Doctor Handel replied, slowly getting up from her chair. "I'm going to test your reflexes, is that all right? Just a little penlight, here," she added, pulling a small, thin flashlight out of the pocket of her white coat. Switching it on, she smiled at Cloud, shining the light so that he could see it. "I want you to follow the light with your eyes as I move it back and forth, do not move your head. Do you understand?" Doctor Handler asked him.

Cloud nodded in reply, blinking his eyes a few times. "Yes, I understand." The doctor moved the penlight slowly from left to right, then back again, and Cloud's eyes moved accordingly, following the path of the light. Doctor Handel nodded, satisfied, putting the thin light back in her lab coat pocket. "Your pupils are dilating normally. Physically, you are doing extremely well, considering the fact that you've just had major surgery."

Cloud seemed to digest this for a moment, and sighed. "I'm okay physically...but not mentally? Is that what you're saying?"

Doctor Handel smiled kindly at Cloud and took a seat next to the bed again, resting her hand over his own. "We can work on that together, Cloud. I am here to help you through the darkness and confusion you're feeling right now." Cloud snorted, bemused.

"Confusion. Yeah, I'll say. So...where should we begin?" Cloud asked the doctor. He was not overly fond of psychiatrists or therapy, but as he kept thinking of those who needed him - those he'd inadvertently hurt in the past few days - Cloud knew he owed it to both Reno and Tirsa to try and get better._ My family...I need to make this right, for them. I need to get well so I can protect them. And I need to figure out what went wrong inside my head._

"We can start wherever you would like, Cloud," Doctor Handel replied calmly. "Perhaps the best place to start, is the first thing you remember, before the xenomorph snatched you from your home?" Cloud involuntarily shuddered within his restraints, recalling that terrifying trip through the air ducts of the apartment complex.

"I was scared," Cloud finally spoke after the shuddering ceased, though his skin still had goosebumps. "They moved so fast, slithering like snakes...but they have legs, you know. They're tall - taller than Barret - "

"Are you feeling cold, Cloud?" Doctor Handel asked him with concern, noting how her patient kept shivering. Whether it was due to the cool temperature in the room, or his body was shaking out of fear, she was not sure.

Cloud shook his head 'no' vehemently. "No, not cold, just...it's a weird feeling. I can't really explain it."

"I am here to help you, Cloud," Doctor Handel offered. "It sounds as though talking about the aliens makes you uncomfortable, is that fair to say?"

"Yeah, that sounds right," Cloud replied quickly. The strange voice was in his head again, reminding him of Jenova, except Cloud knew that it couldn't be Jenova. Jenova had been defeated, hadn't she? And Sephiroth was dead.

_Mother, we need you - don't leave us! Don't let them kill us!_

"Mother? Who's...mother?" Cloud murmured softly, eyes rolling back slightly in his head as the ringing in his ears grew louder. "Stop - they're all crying out, make it stop!" he shouted.

"Who's crying out, Cloud?" Doctor Handel said quietly, backing up slowly and carefully the more agitated Cloud became, ready to press the duress alarm if she needed to. He was now struggling to sit up in the bed, biceps flexing as his arms pulled the restraints tautly. A ripping sound was heard as the heavy kevlar straps began to tear.

"_The children are crying...all of the children, thousands of them, crying_!" Cloud shouted, a strange, crazed grin on his face as he broke free of his bonds, getting out of the bed. He was still clad in a hospital gown, the back of it untied, his bare back exposed, thin cotton striped pants covering his legs.

"Thousands of children?" Doctor Handel repeated, utterly terrified but doing her best to stay calm, even as Cloud advanced across the room, backing her into a corner as he ripped the IV lines from his arms without so much as a flinch.

"Hatchlings, Doctor," Cloud said coldly, his eyes glazing over and shifting from their usual blue to a strange olive green hue. "You see...my daughter, the one they took out of me...she's a queen. And now she is ready to lay her eggs. I have to go to her, make sure she's all right." Cloud's voice was a monotone, and sounded very unlike his own voice, it was as if he was in a trance as he spoke.

"She's not your daughter, Cloud," Doctor Handel said in a near-whisper. "Remember...the life that grew inside of you, it was not organic. You did not give birth, an alien parasite was implanted into your gastrointestinal system - "

"_Lies_!" Cloud snapped, his hand flying out and slapping Doctor Handel across the face so hard that her glasses flew off. Instantly he felt a pang of regret, and fell to his knees, clutching his head in his hands, the ringing in his ears was now causing him physical pain. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Rude was inside the room in an instant after hearing the commotion, glaring at the now-shaken psychiatrist. "Get yourself out of here, Doctor," Rude said coldly. "Got here as soon as I could, but you should have pressed the alarm sooner." Rude had actually not been too far away when Cloud snapped - he'd stepped a few feet away to take a phone call from Tseng, who had disturbing news regarding the whereabouts of Specimen X - the thing that had been removed from Cloud's abdomen, the creature he mistakenly thought of as his 'baby'; and, the thing that ShinRa's weapons department was eager to get their hot little hands upon.

Cloud now looked pained and bewildered, crumpled into a heap upon the floor of his room as Rude helped him to his feet. "Here, drink this," Rude ordered, lifting a bottle of tranquilizer to his lips. His eyes were now back to their normal blue, and not the sickly green hue they'd been just moments before.

Doctor Handel huffed indignantly. "Now, just a minute here, Mister - "

"Name's Rude," came the short reply. "No disrespect meant here, Doctor, but the Turks will handle things from here." Rude never had much use for therapists, anyway. He'd been sent to one as a child in Costa del Sol when a teacher had labeled him "too quiet." Cloud was cracked right now, to be sure, but it wasn't the first time.

_Probably won't be the last,_ either, Rude thought, somewhat unkindly, as Cloud struggled to his feet. Doctor Handler opened her mouth to protest, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Tseng, now standing in the doorway.

"Rude is quite correct, Doctor Handel, we can take care of this matter from here on out," Tseng said in his usual quiet but firm manner. The psychiatrist made a face and opened her mouth to protest, but knew it would do no good. Orders for the Turks came directly from the President, and since she too was in ShinRa's employ, Doctor Handel knew very well that Tseng's authority trumped her own. What little she had, anyway.

"The president would like to thank you for your assistance, Doctor Handel," Tseng went on, smoothly and diplomatically. "As the patient has once again become combative, Mr. ShinRa feels this situation is best handled by the Turks."

Doctor Handel was all at once annoyed and relieved. She'd been able to handle Cloud when he was cooperative and compliant, but now? She wasn't exactly sure what had happened to Cloud just a few moments before, but she felt as if he hadn't been quite human when he'd managed to break free of his restraints.

"I understand, Mr. Tseng," Doctor Handel replied, deciding it was best to pick up what was left of her dignity and make a graceful exit. "Please keep me apprised of the patient's status."

"We will do so," Tseng replied, escorting Doctor Handel out of the room. He quickly shut the door, and turned back toward Rude and Cloud. "Both of you, listen to me. Specimen X has gone missing. Now, Cloud...you are confused, I think you _know_ that have things a bit mixed up, but we will need your full cooperation here. The specimen must be located, and destroyed." Tseng's voice was cold and succinct; he wasn't about to beat around the bush the way Doctor Handel had been doing. "Should you give us any difficulty, I have given Rude orders to stun you." _If it comes down to it, we shoot to kill,_ Tseng thought but would not say out loud. It was not an option he wanted to think about having to exercise, especially given the fact that one his Turks was married to Cloud. But if it came to it - if Tseng had to choose between the fate of the Planet or Cloud, he would choose the Planet. No matter how much Reno, or his daughter might protest. It was tiring at times, having to be the reasonable one, the sane one. But it was who Tseng was, and he would not waver. Emotion and sentiment had no place in a situation like this. Tseng found himself grateful that Reno wasn't there, it would only complicate matters if he had been.

"I want to see my husband," Cloud said in a croaking voice, and Tseng nodded at Rude, who was already dialing the number to make the quick call to Reno, letting him know that Cloud was awake; still confused, but awake.

"Time is of the essence, Cloud," Tseng reminded the weary-looking blond in an urgent, hushed tone. "Remember that. The aliens threaten the life of the Planet, as surely as Sephiroth and Jenova did. We need you, Cloud...just as we did then." Tseng hoped the gravity of the situation would sink in, despite Cloud's confusion.

Cloud looked down at the floor sadly; the tranquilizer he'd been given was subduing the beast within, at least momentarily. "I get it. On one level, I _do_ get it, Tseng - I know that I was taken against my will, just as the others were. I'm just the only one who's survived, so far. There's just - I hear their voices, calling to me - "

"You are tainted with alien DNA, Cloud," Tseng interrupted, cutting him off. "Just as when your bloodstream was corrupted with the taint of Jenova - it is much the same principle." Rude had moved closer to Cloud, nodding at Tseng; he saw the syringe full of glowing green Mako clutched in the commander's hand, hidden from Cloud's sight behind his back.

"Oh - " Cloud said, mouth hanging open stupidly, then shouting out in pain and surprise as he felt Rude's gloved hands close around his wrists to restrain him, then the sharp prick of the hypodermic needle plunging into his skin. "Ow, what in the hell are you doing, Tseng!"

"Something Doctor Handel should have done a lot sooner," Tseng said dryly. "I've injected you with pure Mako, Cloud. You should feel the usual side effects - burning, vertigo, hallucinations, but...since you are already experiencing the latter - "

"What - what is the Mako supposed to do - " Cloud began, then swayed sideways, falling into Rude's arms, passing out cold before he could finish his question.

"Sir? I just spoke with Reno, he's asking for Cloud," Rude told Tseng, mouth pressed into a thin line. "He was quite insistent."

"I'm sure he is," Tseng said with an air of indifference. "Rude - please get Cloud into a wheelchair, and give him another tranquilizer. I will phone Reno and tell him we are en route to him. However...their reunion will not last long. Only until the Mako takes hold, and hopefully reverses the effect of the alien DNA."

"Will it work, though?" Rude asked Tseng as the director pulled out his cell phone to make the call.

"Honestly, we do not know," Tseng admitted. "However, it is the only option we have, so we must give it a bit of time - time we really do not have, but all the same, we must wait and see if this has any positive effect."

"Reno's not going to be happy," Rude observed as he got an unconscious Cloud into a wheelchair with little difficulty.

"No, I know he's not," Tseng replied, rolling his eyes as he put the phone to his ear, Reno's phone ringing on the other end. "You don't have to remind me."

* * *

><p>Reno clung to sleep like a child with a favorite blanket; it had been so long since he'd had chance to truly rest, that his body had realized how sorely it had been needed. Several times he tried to wake up but could not, his limbs, eyelids, every muscle in his body heavy with the weight of exhaustion. Tirsa slept soundly on a mat nearby. The room was done in traditional Wutaian style, with padded sleeping mats lining the floor rather than a lofty bed with a mattress, as Reno would be used to. For Tirsa, having lived so long on the streets, sleeping in gutters or alleyways, to be able to sleep inside and out of the elements, was a treat in itself. Both she and her father had been through so much in just a few short days, that fitful sleep had been much needed.<p>

The buzzing of Reno's cell phone woke both of them with a jolt; first, Rude calling to tell Reno that Cloud was awake and not to worry, though the Turk would do so anyway. Then, a second call, this one from Tseng, saying that Cloud had to be sedated and that they were en route to the room; again, cautioning Reno not to worry.

"The fuck do you mean, don't worry?" Reno nearly exploded as he shouted into the phone, though Tseng had quickly - and wisely - ended the call. "Don't worry, Tseng says, yeah - right!"

"Dad, calm down," Tirsa said sleepily, blinking as she tried to fully wake up. "What happened? What's going on?" The girl felt a mild sense of alarm, though it seemed her father had a tendency to overreact to anything concerning Cloud, especially since rescuing him.

"That was Tseng on the phone," Reno explained, grimacing as he put the sling back around his plaster-casted arm. He'd taken the sling off briefly while he napped, but had to put it back on now that he was awake. "Tseng says they're bringing Cloud here, but he's sedated. Wouldn't say why he sedated them, either."

"Poor Cloud," Tirsa said sadly, shaking her head. "He must be confused again."

Reno just gave Tirsa a look, then shook his head. He stood up quickly as the room door opened without warning, Rude pushing Cloud inside in a wheelchair. The blond's head was slumped to the side, and his half-lidded eyes were bright with the blue-green fire of the Lifestream. It would be obvious to Reno what Cloud had just been given.

"Who gave him Mako?" Reno demanded, narrowing his eyes at Tseng, lobbing him an accusatory glare. "Was it the shrink, or was it you?"

"Doctor Handel has been taken off of the case," Tseng replied, unflinching in the face of Reno's anger. "I gave him the Mako injection. Reno, before you protest – please realize, the alien DNA is affecting Cloud's mind. I'm sure you're aware of that much. We have no idea how to treat him – "

"So you'll just shoot my husband up with pure Mako and cross your fucking fingers?" Reno snapped, spittle flying from his mouth. He knew he was being insubordinate to his superior, but this was _Cloud_. Reno didn't really care if he was out of line. He went over to the unconscious figure in the wheelchair, gently closing his fingers around the sleeping blond's forearm. Reno's eyes narrowed at the sight of the red marks marring Cloud's skin, signs of where the restraints had dug in. He knew they'd been necessary; hell, he'd had his hand broken by the man, but that didn't mean Reno had to like the fact that Cloud had been restrained, either.

"Really wish there had been another way to do this, other than tying him up like an animal and injecting gods-damned Mako into him," Reno said bitterly. Tirsa stood by her father, not quite knowing what she could say or do that might help.

"Dad?" Tirsa finally said softly, laying a hand on her father's shoulder. "Dad, he's still sleeping pretty well…maybe we should move him into the sleeping area?"

"That's quite a good idea, Tirsa," Tseng murmured, looking to Reno for his approval. The Director was unapologetic about having injected Cloud with mako, but he would deal with Reno's anger later. "Reno - rest your hand. Rude and I can assist in moving Cloud to one of the sleeping mats."

Reno bit back the cutting remarks he had been ready to unleash upon Tseng. Now was not the time for that, and Reno knew it. "All right," he finally said, holding up his uninjured hand in acquiesence. "I know he needs to rest, I just hope he somewhat resembles the man I married when he wakes up." The truth was, Reno was scared for Cloud. Scared that with how many times the hero's mind had been shattered in the past, what if this time they couldn't put the pieces back together again?

The future had seemed so perfect, so sure, just a week or so ago, and now everything was thrown into this tumult of uncertainty. As Cloud stirred in his sleep, Reno lay beside him, pulling the blanket up around Cloud's shoulders almost protectively. Tirsa was sitting cross-legged upon the futon, and Reno cast a rueful glance her way.

"If Cloud was awake, he'd be bitching me out for mother-henning him," Reno said jokingly. He sighed, getting up and taking a seat next to his daughter as they watched Cloud sleep, and waited for him to awaken.

"We'll get through this, Tirsa," Reno told the girl, though he wasn't entirely sure how they would, he knew he needed to be strong for the both of them. "Cloud's strong, he'll pull through. He's just gotta." The words sounded much surer than Reno felt, but then again, he was the master of putting on a brave face and giving the finger to anything life threw at him.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh, hello there. Yes, it's been a year since the last update! Yikes. I lost my inspiration for this story for a while, then life got busy as it always does, but I think I'm back on track with this story again. Finally! Hoping to move things along even more in the next chapter.**

**Thanks to those who have still stuck with me for this story, and others that have been waiting a long time for updates. I'm doing my best to get back on track and update my chapters more frequently. Please read and review if you enjoyed this update! :)**


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